Lesson Seven:
Superlative Adjectives
differences in 3+ things or 3+ people
Add “est” or “most” when forming superlative adjectives.
(What is an adjective?)
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The lion is the biggest animal in this group.
(There are three animals)
The lion is also the most dangerous animal in this group.
Remember: The superlative form is used to show the difference among three or more things or people in a group. There are rules for using the superlative form. The table below will help you. |
Superlatives
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One-syllable words
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two-syllable words ending in y
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two syllables or more not ending in y
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add est
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drop the y and ad iest
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use most / don’t add est
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big
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noisy
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dangerous
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old
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busy
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expensive
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nice
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crazy
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comfortable
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young
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lazy
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humid
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fast
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funny
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tired
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cheap
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dry
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acceptable
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There are some exceptions: good, bad, far, and fun are adjectives that don’t follow the rules when making the comparative form. | ||
good
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bad
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far
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fun
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Never use two superlatives together on an adjective:
most cheapest
most noisiest
It’s often necessary to use “the” in front of the superlative:
1. Apples picked directly from a tree taste the best. | |
2. I had the most fun at the state fair when I rode on the ferris wheel. |
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3. Giraffes have the longest necks of any animal. | |
Sometimes an article such as “the” isn’t necessary when using the superlative. Instead, you can use the possessive form in front of the superlative. Examples: This dog is her best friend. or Her best friend is her dog. |
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Click here for a quiz on comparatives and superlatives
Click here for a listening exercise.
Next: Lesson Eight