above 1
There were above a hundred people in the crowd.
There were over a hundred people in the crowd. Do not use above with numbers (unless referring to points on a scale): ‘He is over eighty years of age.’ ‘I receive over twenty letters a day.’ Compare ‘Don’t let the temperature get above thirty degrees.’ 2
I like to stay at home on a Sunday, as I’ve said above.
I like to stay at home on a Sunday, as I’ve already said. What do you think of the above suggestion?
What do you think of my/this suggestion? Above is used in formal writing to refer to something that has been mentioned earlier: ‘From the above arguments It can be seen that supporters of the dam project fall into two camps.’ In informal styles, this use of above is inappropriate. 3
Taking all the above into account, one could say that tourism does more harm than
good.
Taking all the above arguments into account, one could say that tourism does more harm than good. Instead of using the above as a loose reference to something mentioned earlier, make the reference more precise by using the above + noun (or the + noun + above ): ‘the above reasons’, ‘the statement above’. above all 1
He likes reading, above all novels.
He likes reading, especially novels. Above all means ‘most importantly’: ‘Get plenty of sleep, eat lots of good food, and above ail try to relax.’ ‘There were many qualities that made him a great leader. Above ail, he had charisma.’
