Should I use most important or most importantly in the following:
When was the last time I stepped in this house? she thought. But most important/importantly, what kept me away from it for so long?
asked Jun 5, 2013 at 12:02
2 Answers
Neither; you would say more importantly. You have only presented two options in this case, so you must use more (thought 2 is more important than thought 1). You can only use most if 3 or more options are present.
But yes, you use importantly, not important.
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1I'm mainly upvoting because of importantly, which is undeniably correct (as should be evident if you just remove the optional comparative/superlative more/most). But although I think there's some justification for your "only two options" position, given 74,500 instances of "of the two the most" in Google Books, I think we have to say it's a long way from being a universally-observed "rule". Jun 5, 2013 at 17:17
You would use "most importantly" or "more importantly". An example of the usage of "most important" is - 'It was most important to stamp the documents.'
Most importantlymodifieskept-- that's not what you want according to the context. I guess it should beBut (what is) most important, (is that) what kept me away from it for so long?But what is most important, is that blah blahand..., is what kept me away from it for so long?I intended to show it may be considered as a predicative clause :)blah blah and ...are the reason he stayed away so long. I read the original as a questionWhy did I stay away so long?,What was it that kept me away so long?.