"the" + superlative

[Thai Binh]

English Error, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #12 "At the Finance Company Again", question 8

I guess a strangest thing that happened to me at work was when a man phoned to tell me he had found a million Euro in a paper bag lying on the pavement.

(a) a
(b) to
(c) lying

English Error, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #12 "At the Finance Company Again", answer 8

I guess the strangest thing that happened to me at work was when a man phoned to tell me he had found a million Euro in a paper bag lying on the pavement.

Correct entry: the
The error was: (a) a

You have not found the error.
I guess a strangest thing that happened to me at work was when a man phoned to tell me he had found a million Euro in a paper bag laying on the pavement.
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Why can't use "a"?

Thai Binh

[Yankee]

Hi Thai Binh

The adjective strange is used in the superlative form (strangest) in the sentence. With the superlative form you always use the:

strange - stranger - the strangest

If the sentence had used the word strange instead of strangest, then you could have used "a".

"A strange thing happened yesterday. In fact, it was one of the strangest things that ever happened to me."
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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln