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Which to use: Worse or Worst?

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Marte Cliff Copywriting

Charita Cadenhead asked, so I went looking for the answer. 

The difference between worse and worst, and when to use each: 

"Worse" is a comparative word, to be used when you are comparing two things, or comparing one thing to a set of things. Its definition is: "of a lower quality; less attractive, pleasing, etc; more serious or severe."

For instance:

"The flu is worse than a common cold."

"In my opinion, wind is worse than snow or rain."

Worst is a superlative. It is the opposite of best. Its definition is: "worse than all the others; least helpful or skillful; most unfavorable or corrupt."

For instance:

"This is the worst storm we've had all winter."

"The coffee at our local café is the worst I've ever tasted." (true story) 

Look at these two word sets: good, better, best - bad, worse, worst. best and worst buttons

It might be easy to remember that best and worst both end in "t," but an easier way might be to look at the words you use with it. 

When you use "worse" it is always followed by the stated (or implied) word "than." You might say "My cold is worse" without saying "than it was yesterday," but the meaning would be there. 

When you use the word "worst" is always preceded by "the." Just as there can be only one "best" there can be only one "worst."

 

 

NOTE - In spite of what my aunt Nick used to say to my kids when she was being silly, it isn't proper to say "most worstest" or "more worser." 

 

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles|freedigitalimages.net

 

Comments(19)

Mike Rock
Complete Design - Granite Bay, CA
Granite Bay Luxury New Construction...For Less

can you please write better copy for my mostest worsest house? :)

Jul 19, 2015 06:09 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Oh Marte- where would we be without you!!  And thanks to Charita for asking this.  Isn't it funny how most of us were taught this in school (we were taught it, which is not to say that we learned it!) and yet certain words and phrases still make us stumble. 

Jul 19, 2015 06:11 AM
Jerry Lucas
ABC Legal Docs LLC - Colorado Springs, CO
Notary Training, Consulting. Colorado Springs, CO

Good reminder for writers.  I often see worse used incorrectly, when worst should be used.

Jul 19, 2015 06:20 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

MIKE ROCK Sure. I recall sitting at my desk trying to come up with SOME kind of ad for a "most worstest house." 

Kathy Streib We have too many things to remember - can't possibly keep it all! 

Jerry Lucas Yes, as in "Worse case scenario" when it should be "Worst case scenario." The articles I read suggested that the misuse comes from our failure to articulate well when speaking - then it transfers over to the written word.

I expect that's the same reason people write "should of" instead of "should have." Most of the time when you hear it said, it comes out "should've."

Jul 19, 2015 06:45 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Thank you Marte. I am bookmarking. I will be using frequently until it sets in. I think the best/worst scenario might be the thing that helps me remember. Thank you again.

Jul 19, 2015 06:49 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Charita Cadenhead You're welcome - I enjoy finding the answers to these questions. I also enjoy trying to come up with little tricks and hints to remember the answers after I get them. 

Jul 19, 2015 06:56 AM
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

I am one of those who has made this error a number of times I'm sure. Each and every time you give this kind of example you are most like talking about me, fortunately folks are AR forgive me for these mistakes.

Make it a great week!

Jul 20, 2015 10:02 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

I really appreciate these lessons you provide, Marte.  Most are things I already knew, but still need to have crammed back into my head once in awhile.  

Jul 20, 2015 11:30 AM
Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400
The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - Plainview, NY
Long Island Condo and Home Specialists

Great reminder. We have all scene (seen- HA) too many mistakes in copy!

Jul 20, 2015 10:26 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Joe Petrowsky No - I'm not talking about you. This particular post was in response to a request, but most of them are in response to errors that I see repeated over and over on a great number of blog posts and emails - and sometimes in the copy on home pages, buyer and seller pages, etc. 

Myrl Jeffcoat Yes, so many of these things we don't think about often - and when we do, we don't remember for certain which is correct. 

 

Jul 21, 2015 07:36 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Call 631-805-4400 (c) Yes, even on web sights (sites). (And yes, I see THAT one every now and then.)

Jul 21, 2015 07:37 AM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

I taught English for many years in Europe and actually get goosebumps up my spine when I hear the grammar used by many...............

Jul 21, 2015 10:39 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional Some of mine would probably give you goosebumps too. I know I make a lot of mistakes. 

Jul 22, 2015 03:11 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

This is one set of words I have never had a problem with, thank goodness. I have plenty of other stumbling blocks.

Jul 22, 2015 11:50 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

These two, surprisingly, never screwed me up.  I wonder if I will over think them the next time I go to use one of them?

Jul 22, 2015 12:07 PM
Claude Labbe
RLAH / @properties - Washington, DC
Realty for Your Busy Life

you'll note that better/best isn't as easily confused.  interesting, right?

Jul 22, 2015 12:11 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Debbie Reynolds This is a pair I hadn't really thought about until Charita mentioned it. 

Chris Ann Cleland You sound like me - and how I think about historic and historical. I wrote about it, but now I have to go look each time I want to use one of them.

Claude Labbe Nope, we don't get those confused. I suppose worse and worst cause problems because the spelling is so close. 

Jul 23, 2015 04:03 AM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Hi Marte.  I'm going to pass on worse and worst and hope to have a good wurst a little later today.  

Jul 26, 2015 08:09 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Sounds like a good plan, Gabe Sanders!

Jul 27, 2015 03:37 AM