45 Superlatives with Adjectives and Adverbs
Advertising
Introduction
Superlative adjectives/adverbs are used to make a comparison between things, people or actions, expressing the superiority of one thing, person or action which has the highest level of a particular quality.
Form
The superlative can be formed by using adjectives or adverbs. The determiner the comes before the adjective/adverb to show that something is superior to other things.
The structure of the sentence is:
Subject + verb + the + superlative adjective/adverb + object + …
The superlative form of an adjective/adverb is obtained differently depending on its number of syllables and on its suffix.
- One syllable:
- Adjective/adverb: we add –est (clean ⇒ cleanest);
- Adjective/adverb with suffix –e: we add -st (simple ⇒ simplest);
- Adjectives ending with one vowel and one consonant: we double the final consonant before adding -est (big ⇒ biggest).
- Two syllables (with suffix -y):
- Adjective/adverb with suffix -y: change -y to –i and add –est (friendly ⇒ the friendliest).
- Two syllables (without suffix-y) or more syllables:
- Adjective/adverb without suffix -y: we add the most before the adjective/adverb: the most + adjective/adverb (without changes) (beautiful ⇒ the most beautiful).
When we use the most, the form of adjectives/adverbs remains the same.
Example
- One syllable
- I have the cleanest desk in the office.
- She has the oldest shop in the street.
- They tried their hardest to buy an apartment.
- Two syllables (with suffix -y)
- You are the funniest woman alive.
- She is the friendliest girl I’ve ever met.
- We wake up the earliest to take shower.
- Two syllables (without suffix-y) or more syllables
- I think that tennis is the most boring sport.
- ‘War and Peace’ is the most difficult Russian book to read.
- Far east countries’ languages are the most popular to learn.
Use
We use superlative adjectives/adverbs when we want to express the superiority of one thing, person or action over another.
Summary
We use superlative adjectives/adverbs when we make a comparison between things, people or actions, expressing the superiority of one that has a higher level of a particular quality than the other.
Their structure is:
… + the + superlative adjective/adverb + …
Their form differs according to the number of syllables and the suffix of the adjective.
For example:
One-syllable:
— General: “Tall” ⇒ “Claire is the tallest girl in the class.” = We add -est;
— With suffix -e: “Nice” ⇒ “Anne is the nicest girl I know.” = We add -st;
— With one vowel + one consonant: “Thin” ⇒ “Karl is the thinnest.” = We double the consonant and add -est.
Two-syllables
— With suffix -y: “Hungry“ ⇒ “Claire is the hungriest girl in the class.” = -y becomes -i, and we add -est.
Two or more syllables
— (Without suffix -y): “Tired” ⇒ “Claire is the most tired girl in the class.” = We add most before the adjective/adverb.
Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.
Exercises
The exercises are not created yet. If you would like to get involve with their creation, be a contributor.
Ambassadors
Open TextBooks are collaborative projects, with people from all over the world bringing their skills and interests to join in the compilation and dissemination of knowledge to everyone and everywhere.
Become an Ambassador and write your textbooks.
Online Teaching
Become a Books4Languages Online tutor & teacher.
More information here about how to be a tutor.
