1. He is the oldest of the three.
2. he is the oldest of three.
(Which one is right?)
•English - Ms. Sue, Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 5:15pm
They are both correct.
•English - kaitlin:), Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 6:26pm
number 1 is correct because the H is capital.
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1. He is the oldest of the three.
2. He is the oldest of three.
(Thank you for your help. When there are three people on the page, and they are compared, do we have to use #1 only?)
No. Both are correct.
Both sentences can be used to convey the same meaning. However, there is a slight difference in emphasis between the two.
1. "He is the oldest of the three."
In this sentence, the use of the definite article "the" before "three" implies that there is a specific group of three people being referred to. The speaker is emphasizing that he is the oldest among this particular set of three individuals.
2. "He is the oldest of three."
In this sentence, the omission of the definite article "the" suggests that there may be more than one set of three people being referred to. The speaker is emphasizing that he is the oldest among all the groups of three individuals.
So, whether you choose to use sentence 1 or 2 depends on the specific context and emphasis you want to convey. In most cases, either sentence can be used interchangeably without any significant difference in meaning.