Superlatives help us describe something that stands out as the “most” or “least” in a group. They emphasize the highest or lowest quality, size, or degree of something.
What are superlatives?
In English, these show extremes. They tell us when something is the biggest, smallest, fastest, or slowest. They usually end in “-est” or start with “most” or “least.”
How to form a superlative?
- Short words: Add “-est” to adjectives with one syllable.
- Tall becomes tallest.
- Big becomes biggest.
- Long words: Use “most” or “least” for adjectives with two or more syllables.
- Beautiful becomes most beautiful.
- Interesting becomes most interesting.
Examples of superlatives
- Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
- Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth.
- Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system.
- The cheetah is the fastest land animal.
- English is one of the most popular languages worldwide.
These help highlight the unique or extreme qualities in different contexts!
- The Sahara Desert is the hottest desert in the world.
- Mercury is the closest planet to the sun.
- Alaska is the coldest state in the U.S.
- She bought the most expensive dress in the store.
- This restaurant serves the tastiest pizza in town.
- He is the oldest member of our family.
- Tokyo is one of the most crowded cities in the world.
- The Great Wall of China is the longest wall ever built.
- That was the worst movie I’ve seen this year.
- She ran the quickest lap in the race.
How to use a superlative in a sentence?
Superlatives can describe anything that is the best or worst in a group.
- She is the smartest in her class.
- This is the most delicious cake I’ve ever had.
- He finished the race in the least time.
Exceptions
Some adjectives have irregular superlatives.
- Good becomes best.
- Bad becomes worst.
- Far becomes farthest.
In general, a superlative help us describe unique qualities simply. With a few rules, you can make your English more precise and expressive!
Check out Grammerly for more English language exercises.
Check my blog for previous posts on English.
