Most things vs. most of the things

[ronaldo]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #57 "Chit Chat: At the pub", question 8

Deborah: Believe me — he's a really wonderful dog and can do ......... things that people do.

(a) much
(b) more
(c) most
(d) lots

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #57 "Chit Chat: At the pub", answer 8

Deborah: Believe me — he's a really wonderful dog and can do most things that people do.

Correct answer: (c) most

Your answer was: incorrect
Deborah: Believe me — he's a really wonderful dog and can do much things that people do.
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Isn't MOST goes after THE?? Kindly advise. Thanks.

[Torsten]

Hi Ronaldo, please take a look at the following combinations:

He can do most of the things people do.
He can do many things people do.
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[Mister Micawber]

.
The precedes most when we are using superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs: the most happily married man, the most intelligent woman, etc.

Here however, most = the greater number of + noun: most things are expensive, most people are kind, etc.

Another way used for specific nouns, as Torsten has indicated, is most of the + noun: most of the things here are expensive, most of the people in America are kind.

In any case, much will not work with countable nouns like things; it is used for uncountables: much labour is repetitive, much of the labour at our office is repetitive.
.
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