“Which planet is nearest Earth?” vs “Which planet is the nearest to Earth?”
I don't understand why the definite article is not used in front of the superlative and why we don't use the preposition "to" as in:
- Which planet is the nearest to Earth?
instead of
- Which planet is nearest Earth?
grammaticality prepositions articles
edited 2 days ago
Mari-Lou A
62.4k56222462
asked 2 days ago
Ali NoormohammadiAli Noormohammadi
143
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I don't understand why the definite article is not used in front of the superlative and why we don't use the preposition "to" as in:
- Which planet is the nearest to Earth?
instead of
- Which planet is nearest Earth?
grammaticality prepositions articles
edited 2 days ago
Mari-Lou A
62.4k56222462
asked 2 days ago
Ali NoormohammadiAli Noormohammadi
143
New contributor
Ali Noormohammadi is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
We usually say, "Which planet is nearest to the Earth?"
– Kaushik
2 days ago
@Kaushik please avoid giving inaccurate information. It is absolutely not true that "we" usually use to with any superlative. "They are the best band to the world"? No.
– Mari-Lou A
2 days ago
2
It's not true that 'we' don't say Which planet is the nearest to Earth?. I would consider that to be better grammatically, but all three versions (yours and Kaushik's) are possible.
– Kate Bunting
2 days ago
1
I don't commonly see "Which planet is nearest to THE Earth?" at all. (My emphasis on "the" from Kaushik's comment.) I've seen "Which planet is nearest Earth?" and "Which planet is the nearest to Earth?"
– ElG
2 days ago
add a comment |
I don't understand why the definite article is not used in front of the superlative and why we don't use the preposition "to" as in:
- Which planet is the nearest to Earth?
instead of
- Which planet is nearest Earth?
grammaticality prepositions articles
edited 2 days ago
Mari-Lou A
62.4k56222462
asked 2 days ago
Ali NoormohammadiAli Noormohammadi
143
New contributor
Ali Noormohammadi is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I don't understand why the definite article is not used in front of the superlative and why we don't use the preposition "to" as in:
- Which planet is the nearest to Earth?
instead of
- Which planet is nearest Earth?
grammaticality prepositions articles
grammaticality prepositions articles
edited 2 days ago
Mari-Lou A
62.4k56222462
asked 2 days ago
Ali NoormohammadiAli Noormohammadi
143
New contributor
Ali Noormohammadi is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 2 days ago
Mari-Lou A
62.4k56222462
asked 2 days ago
Ali NoormohammadiAli Noormohammadi
143
New contributor
Ali Noormohammadi is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 2 days ago
Mari-Lou A
62.4k56222462
edited 2 days ago
Mari-Lou A
62.4k56222462
edited 2 days ago
Mari-Lou A
62.4k56222462
62.4k56222462
asked 2 days ago
Ali NoormohammadiAli Noormohammadi
143
New contributor
Ali Noormohammadi is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
Ali NoormohammadiAli Noormohammadi
143
asked 2 days ago
Ali NoormohammadiAli Noormohammadi
143
143
New contributor
Ali Noormohammadi is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Ali Noormohammadi is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Ali Noormohammadi is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
We usually say, "Which planet is nearest to the Earth?"
– Kaushik
2 days ago
@Kaushik please avoid giving inaccurate information. It is absolutely not true that "we" usually use to with any superlative. "They are the best band to the world"? No.
– Mari-Lou A
2 days ago
2
It's not true that 'we' don't say Which planet is the nearest to Earth?. I would consider that to be better grammatically, but all three versions (yours and Kaushik's) are possible.
– Kate Bunting
2 days ago
1
I don't commonly see "Which planet is nearest to THE Earth?" at all. (My emphasis on "the" from Kaushik's comment.) I've seen "Which planet is nearest Earth?" and "Which planet is the nearest to Earth?"
– ElG
2 days ago
add a comment |
1
We usually say, "Which planet is nearest to the Earth?"
– Kaushik
2 days ago
@Kaushik please avoid giving inaccurate information. It is absolutely not true that "we" usually use to with any superlative. "They are the best band to the world"? No.
– Mari-Lou A
2 days ago
2
It's not true that 'we' don't say Which planet is the nearest to Earth?. I would consider that to be better grammatically, but all three versions (yours and Kaushik's) are possible.
– Kate Bunting
2 days ago
1
I don't commonly see "Which planet is nearest to THE Earth?" at all. (My emphasis on "the" from Kaushik's comment.) I've seen "Which planet is nearest Earth?" and "Which planet is the nearest to Earth?"
– ElG
2 days ago
1
1
We usually say, "Which planet is nearest to the Earth?"
– Kaushik
2 days ago
We usually say, "Which planet is nearest to the Earth?"
– Kaushik
2 days ago
@Kaushik please avoid giving inaccurate information. It is absolutely not true that "we" usually use to with any superlative. "They are the best band to the world"? No.
– Mari-Lou A
2 days ago
@Kaushik please avoid giving inaccurate information. It is absolutely not true that "we" usually use to with any superlative. "They are the best band to the world"? No.
– Mari-Lou A
2 days ago
2
2
It's not true that 'we' don't say Which planet is the nearest to Earth?. I would consider that to be better grammatically, but all three versions (yours and Kaushik's) are possible.
– Kate Bunting
2 days ago
It's not true that 'we' don't say Which planet is the nearest to Earth?. I would consider that to be better grammatically, but all three versions (yours and Kaushik's) are possible.
– Kate Bunting
2 days ago
1
1
I don't commonly see "Which planet is nearest to THE Earth?" at all. (My emphasis on "the" from Kaushik's comment.) I've seen "Which planet is nearest Earth?" and "Which planet is the nearest to Earth?"
– ElG
2 days ago
I don't commonly see "Which planet is nearest to THE Earth?" at all. (My emphasis on "the" from Kaushik's comment.) I've seen "Which planet is nearest Earth?" and "Which planet is the nearest to Earth?"
– ElG
2 days ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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Both sentences are correct. They express different ideas. The sentences revolve around the use of the word "nearest." In the first sentence, "nearest" is functioning as a predicate adjective. In the second sentence "nearest" is functioning as a noun which is being modified by the article "the."
It is possible to omit "to" and still have a grammatical sentence: "Which planet is the nearest earth." It sounds strange but if we substitute "one" for "earth," it forms a sentence which doesn't sound strange; "Which planet is the nearest one?" In this sentence, "one" is an adjunct.
Something being grammatical and making sense are frequently two different things.
Also, note that "earth" can either have "the" as an article, which designates it as a planet, or not, which is giving it a name, Earth. For example, "Which woman is nearest Michael?" (some speakers will say "Which woman is closest to Michael.") "Michael" is a proper noun and doesn't need "the." Grammatically-speaking it is not incorrect to say "Which woman is closest to the Michael," but it is not something English speakers say because the usage is not recognized as making sense and isn't supported by the corpus. Earth is a proper noun that can use "the."
answered 2 days ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,77542147
add a comment |
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Both sentences are correct. They express different ideas. The sentences revolve around the use of the word "nearest." In the first sentence, "nearest" is functioning as a predicate adjective. In the second sentence "nearest" is functioning as a noun which is being modified by the article "the."
It is possible to omit "to" and still have a grammatical sentence: "Which planet is the nearest earth." It sounds strange but if we substitute "one" for "earth," it forms a sentence which doesn't sound strange; "Which planet is the nearest one?" In this sentence, "one" is an adjunct.
Something being grammatical and making sense are frequently two different things.
Also, note that "earth" can either have "the" as an article, which designates it as a planet, or not, which is giving it a name, Earth. For example, "Which woman is nearest Michael?" (some speakers will say "Which woman is closest to Michael.") "Michael" is a proper noun and doesn't need "the." Grammatically-speaking it is not incorrect to say "Which woman is closest to the Michael," but it is not something English speakers say because the usage is not recognized as making sense and isn't supported by the corpus. Earth is a proper noun that can use "the."
answered 2 days ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,77542147
add a comment |
Both sentences are correct. They express different ideas. The sentences revolve around the use of the word "nearest." In the first sentence, "nearest" is functioning as a predicate adjective. In the second sentence "nearest" is functioning as a noun which is being modified by the article "the."
It is possible to omit "to" and still have a grammatical sentence: "Which planet is the nearest earth." It sounds strange but if we substitute "one" for "earth," it forms a sentence which doesn't sound strange; "Which planet is the nearest one?" In this sentence, "one" is an adjunct.
Something being grammatical and making sense are frequently two different things.
Also, note that "earth" can either have "the" as an article, which designates it as a planet, or not, which is giving it a name, Earth. For example, "Which woman is nearest Michael?" (some speakers will say "Which woman is closest to Michael.") "Michael" is a proper noun and doesn't need "the." Grammatically-speaking it is not incorrect to say "Which woman is closest to the Michael," but it is not something English speakers say because the usage is not recognized as making sense and isn't supported by the corpus. Earth is a proper noun that can use "the."
answered 2 days ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,77542147
add a comment |
Both sentences are correct. They express different ideas. The sentences revolve around the use of the word "nearest." In the first sentence, "nearest" is functioning as a predicate adjective. In the second sentence "nearest" is functioning as a noun which is being modified by the article "the."
It is possible to omit "to" and still have a grammatical sentence: "Which planet is the nearest earth." It sounds strange but if we substitute "one" for "earth," it forms a sentence which doesn't sound strange; "Which planet is the nearest one?" In this sentence, "one" is an adjunct.
Something being grammatical and making sense are frequently two different things.
Also, note that "earth" can either have "the" as an article, which designates it as a planet, or not, which is giving it a name, Earth. For example, "Which woman is nearest Michael?" (some speakers will say "Which woman is closest to Michael.") "Michael" is a proper noun and doesn't need "the." Grammatically-speaking it is not incorrect to say "Which woman is closest to the Michael," but it is not something English speakers say because the usage is not recognized as making sense and isn't supported by the corpus. Earth is a proper noun that can use "the."
answered 2 days ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,77542147
Both sentences are correct. They express different ideas. The sentences revolve around the use of the word "nearest." In the first sentence, "nearest" is functioning as a predicate adjective. In the second sentence "nearest" is functioning as a noun which is being modified by the article "the."
It is possible to omit "to" and still have a grammatical sentence: "Which planet is the nearest earth." It sounds strange but if we substitute "one" for "earth," it forms a sentence which doesn't sound strange; "Which planet is the nearest one?" In this sentence, "one" is an adjunct.
Something being grammatical and making sense are frequently two different things.
Also, note that "earth" can either have "the" as an article, which designates it as a planet, or not, which is giving it a name, Earth. For example, "Which woman is nearest Michael?" (some speakers will say "Which woman is closest to Michael.") "Michael" is a proper noun and doesn't need "the." Grammatically-speaking it is not incorrect to say "Which woman is closest to the Michael," but it is not something English speakers say because the usage is not recognized as making sense and isn't supported by the corpus. Earth is a proper noun that can use "the."
answered 2 days ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,77542147
answered 2 days ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,77542147
answered 2 days ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,77542147
answered 2 days ago
michael_timofeevmichael_timofeev
5,77542147
5,77542147
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
We usually say, "Which planet is nearest to the Earth?"
– Kaushik
2 days ago
@Kaushik please avoid giving inaccurate information. It is absolutely not true that "we" usually use to with any superlative. "They are the best band to the world"? No.
– Mari-Lou A
2 days ago
2
It's not true that 'we' don't say Which planet is the nearest to Earth?. I would consider that to be better grammatically, but all three versions (yours and Kaushik's) are possible.
– Kate Bunting
2 days ago
1
I don't commonly see "Which planet is nearest to THE Earth?" at all. (My emphasis on "the" from Kaushik's comment.) I've seen "Which planet is nearest Earth?" and "Which planet is the nearest to Earth?"
– ElG
2 days ago