Is it correct to say "the sandero is one of the most cheap cars in europe"? or should I use the cheapest? I mean that is not the cheapest but there are other cars that are cheaper...
-
4“The Sandero is one of the cheapest cars in Europe.” Note the capital letters– Mari-Lou ACommented Oct 6 at 20:56
-
1If you're concerned about using cheapest when it's not the absolute cheapest car, no exceptions at all - that's the purpose of one of. It confirms that we are talking about one out of a group, not one by itself.– Peter KirkpatrickCommented Oct 7 at 3:59
-
1We would be more likely to say "one of the least expensive", since any car is quite a big purchase for most people.– Kate BuntingCommented Oct 7 at 8:09
-
@KateBunting of course there are different implications to both - "The Sandero is one of the cheapest cars in Europe. You deserve better, so buy a Rolls Royce" vs. "The Sandero is one of the least expensive cars in Europe, ideal for families on a tight budget". "Least expensive" doesn't work in the first sentence. It would be the better choice in the second, but "cheapest" does still work, especially if the context is saving money.– Chris HCommented Oct 7 at 8:36
-
I haven't used the capital letters because It was a chat on Instagram...– Davis13Commented Oct 7 at 9:16
|
Show 11 more comments
2 Answers
It's not correct.
According to the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, single-syllable adjectives typically take "-er" and "-est" forms (eg "small → smaller → smallest") while multi-syllable adjectives typically use "more" and "most" (eg., "beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful"). There are of course exceptions to this ("fun" springs to mind) but words tend to be used one way or the other, so with "cheapest" being the idiomatic choice that makes "most cheap" incorrect for the context you refer to.
That said, 'cheap' has other meanings beyond monetary cost and can imply low quality or worth (eg "that was a cheap shot"). Also, 'most' is sometimes used as an intensifier rather than denoting a superlative (eg "that was a most pleasant afternoon"). In those contexts, it might not be so unusual to say something was "most cheap" but it's a bit convoluted.
-
Another exception: sometimes people say "more rare" (an example in the wild). "Rarer" would also be fine.– nschneidCommented Oct 7 at 3:50
-
The problem with funner was that fun used to be considered a noun, not an adjective. Using funner forces an adjectival understanding of the word, while *more fun" is consistent with regarding it as a noun (as some of us still do).– PeterCommented Oct 7 at 5:27
-
@Peter Its been used as an adjective for at least 75 years so you must have some miles on the clock. If anything, that's likely the reason it is an exception. Commented Oct 7 at 8:28
-
@Astralbee - fun could be a verb, too. I was an early reader, and I distinctly recall reading in my father's local London newspaper, that a London Teddy Boy, accused of some mayhem or other, said to the magistrates, 'We was only funning'. Commented Oct 7 at 8:38
-
1@MichaelHarvey - "Cease your funning" is a song in the Beggar's Opera of 1728 - but in those days the verb meant 'cheat' or 'hoax'. Commented Oct 7 at 9:26
OP's query:
I mean that is not the cheapest but there are other cars that are cheaper...
If The Sandero is not the cheapest there are other ways to convey this. You cannot use most cheap
You can also use the comparative and positive form of cheap.
I. Relative Superlatives..
Superlative: The Sandero is one of the least expensive (cheapest) cars in Europe.
Comparative: The Sandero is less expensive (cheaper) than most cars in Europe.
Positive: Few cars in Europe are as inexpensive (cheap) as the Sandero.
II. Negative Superlatives..
Superlative: The Sandero is not the least expensive (cheapest) car in Europe.
Comparative: Some cars are less expensive (cheaper) than the Sandero .
Positive: The Sandero is not as inexpensive (cheap) as some other cars in Europe.
-
We would say/write the Sandero, as it is a model of car (made by Dacia in Romania), not a brand. Commented Oct 7 at 11:52