Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

By far, easily, much, quite, etc.

The emphatic expressions by far, easily, much, quite (meaning ‘absolutely’), and

simply

may premodify expressions with the + superlative:

By far the biggest island in Scilly is St Mary’s.

They were 

easily the best vegetables in the competition.

We scaled many minor cliff faces during the expedition, but this was 

much the

most dangerous.

It was 

quite the most significant event in recent Greek history.

Very

Very

is used to emphasise superlatives with best, worst, first and last:

This is the 

very best choice you will ever have.

We had to wait for ages. We were the 

very last in the queue.

The absolute

The absolute

may also be used to intensify a superlative adjective:

It was 

the absolute biggest ice cream I’d ever seen.

Yes, after 25 years of successful development of the North Sea, our expertise is

some of the best, if not 

the absolute best, in the world. 

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Cambridge Grammar of English

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