a fastest

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a fastest" is not correct in written English.
It is incorrect because "fastest" is a superlative adjective and should not be preceded by "a." Example: "He is the fastest runner in the competition."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It soon became apparent that the time was not good enough for a fastest loser spot, unlike Williams.

Independent

She had the excuse of a bout of food poisoning two nights ago and qualified as a fastest loser.

The Guardian - Sport

Instead, it markets a "fastest" service that is only 50 megabits a second for downloading and 20 megabits a second for uploading.

The New York Times

Martyn Rooney earlier advanced to the final of the 400 metres, but only as a fastest loser following an error-strewn display.

Independent

The triple world champion lapped the wet Montreal street circuit in a fastest time of one minute 25.425 seconds for his third successive pole in Canada.

Independent

I was aiming for a fastest loser spot — I wanted to guarantee I was in the top four to give myself a chance to get through.

Independent

Sebastian Rodger, making his senior debut, was the quickest of the trio in 49.66, even if his fifth-placed finish meant he went through as a fastest loser.

The Guardian - Sport

Lorenzo, who trails Rossi by seven points in the standings, starts from the front after setting a fastest time of 1min 30.01minc.

The Guardian - Sport

The reigning champion, Jodie Williams, who has suffered a disastrous two years with injuries and poor form, squeezed into the final as a fastest loser in 23.14sec.

The Guardian - Sport

Buck, winner of the British title for the last three years, went through as a fastest loser when third in his qualifier in a time of 47.02sec.

The Guardian - Sport

Button, who drives for Brawn Grand Prix, will start first on the grid for the fourth time after setting a fastest lap of 1 minute 14.902 seconds.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When intending to use the superlative form of an adjective like “fastest”, always use the definite article “the” instead of “a”. For example, say “the fastest” not “a fastest”.

Common error

Avoid using the indefinite article (“a” or “an”) before superlative adjectives. Superlatives already indicate a unique or highest degree, so they require the definite article (“the”) to specify which one is being referred to.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a fastest" is grammatically incorrect as it combines an indefinite article with a superlative adjective. Superlative adjectives like "fastest" require the definite article "the" to indicate a unique or highest degree. Ludwig AI confirms this with its assessment of the phrase's grammatical status.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

32%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Encyclopedias

6%

Reference

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase “a fastest” is grammatically incorrect because it combines an indefinite article with a superlative adjective. Ludwig AI flags this as incorrect, advising the use of “the fastest” instead. While the phrase appears across different contexts such as News, Science, and Wiki, its use is grammatically flawed and should be avoided in formal writing. Remember to use “the” with superlative adjectives to ensure grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the fastest

Corrects the grammatical error by using the definite article 'the' with the superlative 'fastest'.

the quickest

Replaces 'fastest' with a synonym, 'quickest', while using the correct definite article.

the speediest

Substitutes 'fastest' with 'speediest' and uses the necessary 'the' for grammatical accuracy.

the most rapid

Uses a more formal synonym 'rapid' with 'most' to create a superlative, corrected with 'the'.

a very fast

Replaces the superlative with an intensifier 'very' modifying 'fast', changing the meaning slightly to 'extremely fast'.

an extremely quick

Uses 'extremely' to modify 'quick', altering the construction to be descriptive rather than superlative.

the record speed

Replaces the adjective with a noun phrase centered on 'speed' and modifies it with 'record'.

top speed

Uses a compound noun to represent the highest achievable speed.

peak velocity

Employs a more technical term, 'velocity', to denote maximum speed.

optimal speed

Shifts the focus to the best or most efficient speed rather than just the absolute highest.

FAQs

How do I correctly use the word "fastest" in a sentence?

Use "fastest" with the definite article "the" to indicate the highest degree of speed. For example, "She is "the fastest runner" in the school" is correct, while "She is a fastest runner" is not.

What article should I use before a superlative adjective like "fastest"?

Always use the definite article "the" before superlative adjectives like "fastest". The use of "a" or "an" is grammatically incorrect in this context.

What can I say instead of "a fastest"?

Instead of "a fastest", use "the fastest". This correction makes the phrase grammatically correct by using the definite article with the superlative adjective.

Is it ever correct to use "a" before a superlative adjective?

No, it is generally not correct to use the indefinite articles "a" or "an" before a superlative adjective. Superlative adjectives require the definite article "the".