Superlatives

Superlatives

Forming superlative adjectives

What are superlatives?

A superlative adjective compares three or more nouns and shows the noun with the highest degree.

For example:

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

This compares all of the mountains in the world and shows that Mount Everest is the highest in the group.

When the adjective has one syllable

the superlative is formed by adding “the ” + -est to the end of the word.

Special Case:

There’s a special case for one syllable adjectives. When these words have the structure: consonant + vowel + consonant (such as “big”), the last consonant has to be doubled.

Adjective: “big” Comparative: “bigger ” Superlative: “the biggest ”

When the adjective has two syllables and ends in -y

The superlative is formed just as in the first case for adjectives with one syllable by adding “the ”  -est and changing the -y to an -i .

Adjective: “happy” Comparative: “happier ” Superlative: “the happiest ”

When the adjective is long

In this case, the only option to form the superlative is adding “the ” + “most ”.

Adjective: “important” Comparative: “more important” Superlative: “the most important”

Irregular comparatives and superlatives

good → better → the best

bad → worse → the worst

far → farther → the farthest (distance)

far → further → the furthest (extent)

Multiple Choice

Today's weather is ___________ than yesterday's.

• colder
• more cold
• coldest
• most cold

Multiple Choice

The panther is _____________ animal.

• wilder

• most wild

• the wildest

• more wild

Multiple Choice

Superman is _____________ man in the world.

• the more strong
• the most strong
• the stronger
• the strongest

Multiple Choice

Elephants are _____________ than giraffes.

• heavier
• most heavy
• more heavy
• heaviest

Multiple Choice

The roller coaster in Mexico City is _________________ in the country.

• more dangerous
• dangerouster
• the most dangerous
• dangeroustest

Multiple Choice

Hector has _____________ score in the classroom.

• the higher
• the highest
• the more high
• the most high

Multiple Choice

My mother is __________ than my grandmother.

• youngest
• more young
• most young
• younger

Multiple Choice

My cat is ___________ than Martha's.

• bigger
• biggest
• best
• goodest

Multiple Choice

Diana has the _________________ hair among her friends.

• longer
• bad
• longest
• baddest

Multiple Choice

Lionel Messi is ________________ soccer player.

• the best

• the most good

• the goodest

• bestest

Multiple Choice

Hulk is ______________ hero.

• the strongest

• strongest

• more stronger

• most strong

Multiple Choice

Hulk is ______________ hero.

• the strongest

• strongest

• more stronger

• most strong