Superlative Adjectives

We use superlatives when we compare more than two things:

                         

Blue whale is the heaviest animal on earth.                 Cheetah is the fastest animal on land.

                         

Russia is the largest country in the world.                    River Nile is the longest river on earth.

                         

Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system.      Mount Everest is the highest mountain on earth.

 

Superlative adjectives with one syllable: the adjective + -est

short deep dark slow cheap cold

the shortest the deepest the darkest the slowest the cheapest the coldest

 

 

Superlative adjectives with two or more syllables: the most + adjective

beautiful expensive popular interesting handsome delicious

the most beautiful the most expensive the most popular the most interesting the most handsome the most delicious

 

Superlative adjectives ending in –ly

friendly lovely shiny sunny

the friendliest the loveliest the shiniest the sunniest

 

Beware of these adjectives

big hot sad

the biggest the hottest the saddest

 

Some adjectives are irregular, they change completely

good bad little much/many far

the best the worst the least the most the farthest/furthest

 

Don’t forget to use in/on (a group) when you compare more than two things

• Sheila is the oldest in her family. (among all family members)
• Liam is the tallest in his class. (among his classmates)