Degrees of Adjectives: Superlative Degree

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Lesson 361

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In the last lesson we learned that we use 'comparative adjectives' to compare two things.
E.g. Samsung devices are easier to use than Micromax devices.

A superlative adjective expresses the extreme or highest degree of a quality. We use a superlative adjective to describe the extreme quality of one thing in a group of things. E.g. Samsung devices are the easiest to use.

We use a superlative adjective to describe one thing in a group of three or more things.
Look at these examples:
i) Canada, China and Russia are big countries. But, Russia is the biggest.
ii) Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

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Formation of Superlative Adjectives

As with comparative adjectives, there are two ways to form a superlative adjective:
i) Short Adjectives: add \'–est\'
ii) Long Adjectives: use \'most\'

Remember – We usually add 'the' at the beginning.

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Rules for creating superlative adjectives

i) Single syllabic words – add “est” to the word.
E.g. Strong to Strongest.

Remember that it is sometimes necessary to double the final consonant.
Typically, if the word is a single syllabic words ending with consonant sound, double the last consonant.
E.g. Big to Biggest.

ii) Single syllabic words ending with an 'e' – only add 'st'.
E.g. Fine to Finest or Rare to Rarest.

iii) Double syllabic words ending with 'y' – change the 'y' to an 'i' and add 'est'.
E.g. Crazy to Craziest and Silly to Silliest.

iv) Two/Three syllabic words – use 'most' or 'least'.
Examples include 'most desirable' and 'least expensive'.

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With some 2–syllable adjectives, we can use both \'–est\' OR \'most\'

E.g.
Quiet → the quietest/most quiet,
Clever → the cleverest/most clever,
Common → the commonest/ most common

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When we compare one thing with itself, we do not use 'the'.
E.g. i) England is the coldest country in the world.
(England is being compared to other countries, hence a 'the' has been added before 'coldest)

However, England is coldest in winter. (Not the coldest, because here, England is being compared to itself)

E.g. ii) My boss is most generous when we get a big order. (not the most generous, because here, we're comparing the 'boss's behavior when he gets a big order' with 'his behavior in other situations')

'There are some adjectives that have irregular forms, meaning that the superlatives can’t be formed by adding the suffix'^~^'typefacestyle'

Good	the best
Little	the least
Bad	the worst
Far	the further/the farthest

Pick the correct option:

He is the most good soccer player in England.

He is the best soccer player in England.

Pick the correct answer.

Falling is the worse thing that could ever happen to a sprinter.

Falling is the worst thing that could ever happen to a sprinter.

Pick the correct answer.

For me, he is the most fast man in the world.

For me, he is the fastest man in the world.

Pick the correct option:

Your son is the most cleverest kid I have ever met.

Your son is the cleverest kid I have ever met.

Pick the correct option:

Don't you think it's ______

the valuablest

Pick the correct option:

It is said to be ______

the trickyest

the most trickyest

the trickiest

the most trickiest

Choose the correct answer.

Lily is the happiest when she has a holiday.

Lily is happiest when she has a holiday

Pick the correct option:

She has always been most efficient of all my secretaries.

She has always been the most efficient of all my secretaries.

Pick the correct option:

He lives ______

farther

Pick the correct option:

Which of the three supermarkets do you think has ______

the widest

the most wide

wider

Pick the correct option:

I chose this car as my favorite because it's ______

the fastest of

more faster as

more faster than

Pick the correct option:

She wakes up ______

the earlier

Pick the correct option:

Which juice is ______

the most

most

Pick the correct option:

The book is ______

the most

most

the more

Choose the correct response.

That suitcase is lightest.

That suitcase is the lightest.

Pick the correct answer.

I wake up earliest on Mondays as I have yoga classes.

I wake up the earliest on Mondays as I have yoga classes.

Pick the correct option:

Why are you wearing such ______

old

older

oldest

Pick the correct option:

Have you heard the ______

latest

newest

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ABSOLUTE ADJECTIVES

Take a look at these very short sentences:
i) He is tall.
ii) He is dead.

They both contain adjectives: tall and dead.

Tall can be used in comparative sentences:
E.g. He is taller than I am.

Dead can NOT be used in comparative sentences:
E.g. He is deader than I am.
You are either 'dead' or not; you can not be 'dead-er' or 'more dead' than someone.
Dead is therefore an example of an absolute adjective - adjectives that can not take a comparative or superlative ('dead-est') form.

Another example of an absolute adjective is 'unique' because it means 'one of a kind' and, therefore, it can not be 'more unique' than something. It's either 'unique' or it isn't. Similarly perfect, essential and healthy can also be termed as absolute adjectives.