Most, most of, the most

When you use it

Most means "more than half": the biggest part of a group or of an amount. You use it to talk about people or things in general (Most people like music), about a group the listener knows (most of my friends) and about an amount (most of the money). The most, with the, is a different idea. It compares one person or thing with all the others: the most expensive ticket, or Anna has the most books (more books than anybody else). A third word, almost, looks similar but means "nearly", and it works in a different way.

How it is formed

Most or most of? Use most straight before a noun when you mean people or things in general: most people, most cheese. Use most of when a small word such as the, my, your, this or these comes next, or a pronoun such as it, them, us or you: most of the people at the party, most of my clothes, most of them. So most of people and most the students are both wrong. Before a pronoun, of is always needed: most of them, not most them.

Sometimes both are possible, with a small difference. Most students walk to school is about students in general. Most of the students walk to school is about a group the listener knows, for example the students at one school.

The verb. After most and most of, the verb agrees with the noun or pronoun that follows. A plural noun takes a plural verb; an uncountable noun or one single thing takes a singular verb: Most of the cake is gone. Most of the cakes are gone. Most of it is here. Most of them are here. If you are not sure whether a noun is uncountable, see countable and uncountable nouns.

The most. The most is a superlative. With a long adjective it means "more … than all the others": the most comfortable chair. The superlatives lesson shows when to use the most and when -est. Before a noun, the most is the superlative of much and many: much, many → more → the most. Tom has the most money means he has more money than anybody else in the group, not more than half of all the money. (In informal British English you also hear Who has most money? without the.) When most means "more than half", it takes no the: Most people…, not The most people…. See also comparatives for more.

Almost. Almost means "nearly, not quite". It does not name a quantity, so it does not stand before a noun alone. Put all, every, everybody, nothing or a number after it: almost all the students, almost everybody, almost every day, almost ten o'clock. Almost all means a little more than most.

Mostly is a different word again. It means "mainly" or "usually" and goes with a verb or describes a group: I mostly read at night. The guests were mostly students. It does not replace most before a noun: Most students walk, not Mostly students walk.

Examples

• Most people like music.
• Most cheese is made from cow's milk.
• Most of the students in my class speak two languages.
• Most of my friends are older than me.
• Anna made a cake, and we ate most of it in one evening.
• I invited twelve people, and most of them came.
• Most of my money goes on food and clothes.
• Tom bought the most expensive ticket for the show.
• Anna has the most books in our family.
• Almost everybody at the party knew Tom.

In the first seven sentences most means more than half. In the last three it means something else: more than all the others, or nearly.

Common mistakes

• ✗The most people in my town have a garden.

  ✓ Most people in my town have a garden.

  The most compares one person or thing with all the others. For "more than half", use most with no the. Ukrainian uses two different words here: більшість людей is most people, while найбільше (or най- / найбільш before an adjective) is the most. Russian uses two different words here: большинство людей is most people, while больше всего (or самый before an adjective) is the most. This is the classic German trap: die meisten Leute has the article die, but English most in this meaning takes no the.

• ✗Most of children love animals.

  ✓ Most children love animals. / Most of the children in this class love animals.

  Before a noun alone, most has no of. Of comes before a word such as the, my or them. Більшість дітей uses the genitive, and the genitive often becomes of in English, but not here: before a noun alone there is no of. Большинство детей uses the genitive, and the genitive often becomes of in English, but not here: before a noun alone there is no of. Die meisten Kinder has no von either, so most children should feel natural. Just do not add of.

• ✗Most my cousins have a dog. / ✗ Most them have a dog.

  ✓ Most of my cousins have a dog. / Most of them have a dog.

  Before the, my, this and before a pronoun, most needs of. Більшість моїх друзів needs no extra word before моїх, so of is easy to forget; with a pronoun, більшість із них, the small word is there, as in English. Большинство моих друзей needs no extra word before моих, so of is easy to forget; with a pronoun, большинство из них, the small word is there, as in English. Die meisten meiner Cousins needs no extra word before meiner, but die meisten von ihnen does, just like most of them.

• ✗Almost people in our street know Anna.

  ✓ Almost everybody in our street knows Anna. / Most people in our street know Anna.

  Almost means "nearly" and needs a word like all, every or everybody after it. The two words look alike, which is why they are easy to mix up. Ukrainian also needs a second word, майже всі, so translate both: almost all, almost everybody. Russian also needs a second word, почти все, so translate both: almost all, almost everybody. Fast alle and fast jeder work exactly like almost all and almost everybody: almost is fast, not meist.

• ✗Most of the eggs is broken. / ✗ Most of them is broken.

  ✓ Most of the eggs are broken. / Most of them are broken.

  The verb agrees with the noun or pronoun after of, not with most. The eggs and them are plural, so the verb is plural. After більшість Ukrainian often uses a singular verb, більшість студентів прийшла, which pushes learners towards is. After большинство Russian often uses a singular verb, большинство студентов пришло, which pushes learners towards is. German agrees with the noun too, die meisten Eier sind kaputt, so look at the noun after of, as you would in German.

Practice

The exercises go from easy to harder. Each answer is checked at once. If it is wrong, you get a hint and a second try.