Superlatives

Hi everyone, this post will help you understand the rules of Superlatives.

A superlative adjective expresses the extreme or highest degree of a quality. We use a superlative adjective to compare one member of a group of things, people or actions with the whole group.

Ex: Toronto is the biggest city in Canada.

Formation of Superlative Adjectives

To form the superlatives we have to follow some rules:

• One Syllable adjectives – add “-EST” to the adjective.

DEEP – DEEPEST – The Pacific is the deepest ocean in the world.

FAST – FASTEST – This car is the fastest I’ve ever driven!

• Adjectives ending in consonant + Y – change “Y” into “IEST”.

HAPPY – HAPPIEST – This is the happiest day of my life!

HEAVY – HEAVIEST – This machine is the heaviest in the factory.

• Long adjectives with 2 syllables or more – add “THE MOST” before the adjective.

INTELLIGENT – THE MOST INTELLIGENT – They are the most intelligent students in the class.

BEAUTIFUL – THE MOST BEAUTIFUL – She is the most beautiful girl I’ve dated.

* Irregular Superlatives

good – BEST

Bad – WORST

Far – FARTHEST or FURTHEST

* Spelling Rules

1) When the adjective ends in “-E”, we only add “ST”.

NICE – NICEST

2) When the adjective ends in CVC (consonant + vowel + consonant), we double the consonant.

BIG – BIGGEST

THIN – THINNEST

HOT – HOTTEST

If you would like to practice more, click here.