| No | Pattern | Freq | Relations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | by the [adj -est] | 355 |
|
| 2 | by the best | 50 |
|
| 3 | by the latest | 36 |
|
| 4 | by the highest | 26 |
|
| 5 | by the largest | 19 |
|
| 6 | by the greatest | 16 |
|
| 7 | by the worst | 12 |
|
| 8 | by the narrowest | 12 |
|
| 9 | by the lowest | 9 |
|
| 10 | by the nearest | 9 |
|
| 11 | by the finest | 8 |
|
| 12 | by the smallest | 8 |
|
| 13 | by the strongest | 7 |
|
| 14 | by the shortest | 7 |
|
| 15 | by the merest | 7 |
|
| 16 | by the earliest | 6 |
|
| 17 | by the biggest | 6 |
|
| 18 | by the youngest | 6 |
|
| 19 | by the eldest | 6 |
|
| 20 | by the poorest | 6 |
|
