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The cheetah runs fastest of all the animals.
The cheetah runs the fastest of all the animals.
I would think that only the first one is correct, but came across the same question where many people answered both were. Hadn't known about this rule. I look at it, the second, this way: The cheetah runs the fastest... . The fastest service company? runs the fastest what? hahaha 😀
You are correct. Probably the reason many think "the" should be included is that there are some constructions where "the" really should be included. In your example, "fastest" is an adverb modifying "runs". "The" needs to point at a noun and there is none so it is not needed. If you say, "The cheetah is the fastest runner of all the animals," both "the" and "fastest" modify the noun "runner" making this sentence correct. Sometimes people will shorten that sentence to say, "The cheetah is the fastest." Again "the" is before "fastest" but they both still modify "runner" (or "animal," or some other noun which is implied.)
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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