Unique (and Other Absolute Modifiers)
- Szczegóły
- Nadrzędna kategoria: Grammar Slammer
- Kategoria: Common Mistakes Index--Letters U through Z
Unique means "one of a kind." Therefore, words like very, so, or extremely or comparatives or superlatives should not used to modify it. If it is one of a kind, it cannot be compared!
Incorrect: He is a very unique personality.Correct: He is a unique personality.
This same logic applies to other words which reflect some kind of absolute: absolute, overwhelmed, straight, opposite, right, dead, entirely, eternal, fatal, final, identical, infinite, mortal, opposite, perfect, immortal, finite, or irrevocable.
In most cases they cannot be modified by very and similar words, nor can they be used in comparisons.
Many times there is a similar word which is not absolute. For example, instead of using the word unique in the above example use a similar word that is not absolute.
Incorrect: He has a more unique personality than Marie.Correct: He has a more distinctive personality than Marie.