Superlative Adjectives in English

We all love to talk about things in interesting ways! Fortunately, English provides us with a range of superlative adjectives that help us do so.

In this reference, we will explore what a superlative adjective is, how to use it in sentences, provide a handy list of superlative adjectives, and discuss common mistakes learners make when using them. Let's get started!

What are Superlative Adjectives?

Superlative adjectives in English are used to compare three or more things. They describe the highest degree or the most extreme quality of a given thing. For example, the superlative adjective “biggest” is used to describe the largest possible size of an object.

So we would say, "This is the biggest house in town," to show that this house is the largest one in town.

How to Use Superlative Adjectives

Superlative adjectives are used with the definite article "the" and are typically formed with the word "most." For example, we can say, "The most beautiful girl in town," to indicate that she is the prettiest girl in town.

The way we form superlative adjectives depends on how many syllables the adjective has. For words with one syllable, we use the suffix “-est.” For example, “fast” becomes “fastest.”

For words with two or more syllables, we use the word “most” before the adjective. For example, “beautiful” becomes “most beautiful.”

Superlative adjectives are mostly used to describe people, places, and things. For example, “He is the smartest person in the room,” or “This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.”

Superlative Adjectives Examples in Sentences

Here are more superlative adjective examples:

• “He is the shortest person in the class.”
• “This is the most amazing cake I’ve ever tasted.”
• “She is the cleverest student in the school.”
• “This is the best movie ever made.”
• “He is the coolest man in the world.”

As you can see, superlative adjectives are used to describe the highest degree or the most extreme quality of a given thing or person.

List of Superlative Adjectives

Here is a list of 20 common superlative adjectives that end with the suffix "-est":

• Biggest
• Fastest
• Tallest
• Smallest
• Highest
• Strongest
• Nearest
• Dearest
• Greatest
• Finest
• Oldest
• Youngest
• Smartest
• Darkest
• Latest
• Loudest
• Quickest
• Cutest
• Longest
• Sweetest

Here is a superlative adjective list for words that use "most":

• Most beautiful
• Most intelligent
• Most successful
• Most famous
• Most popular
• Most powerful
• Most efficient
• Most talented
• Most creative
• Most energetic
• Most ambitious
• Most generous
• Most loyal
• Most courageous
• Most attractive
• Most influential
• Most inspiring
• Most valuable
• Most innovative
• Most knowledgeable

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Superlative Forms of Adjectives Exceptions

There are a few exceptions to the rules for forming superlative adjectives. For example, some words like “good” and “bad” don’t simply use the suffix “-est.” Instead, we use the words “better” and “worse” to form the superlative. For example:

• “He is the best singer in the club.”
• “She is the worst dancer in the competition.”

Other exceptions include words like “far,” “many,” and “much,” which use the words “farthest,” “most,” and “most,” respectively. For example:

• “This is the farthest I’ve ever been.”
• “She has the most friends in the school.”
• “He has the most success in his career.”

Common Mistakes

One common mistake people make when using superlative adjectives is to use them to compare two things. For example, “This is the most delicious cake than the other one.” This sentence is incorrect because we are using the superlative form to compare only two items.

Another mistake people make is using the wrong form of a superlative adjective. For example, “She is the most tallest person in the room.” This sentence is incorrect because the correct form of the superlative adjective for “tall” is “tallest” without "most."

Finally, some learners make the mistake of using the wrong word order. For example, “He is the most intelligent student of the school.” This sentence is incorrect because the correct word order is “He is the most intelligent student in the school.”

When using superlatives, make sure you don't do it too often. Superlatives should be used sparingly because they represent the highest form of comparison. So, using them all the time makes them less effective.

Summary

In summary, superlative adjectives in English are used to compare three or more things. The way we form these adjectives depends on the number of syllables in the adjective. Common mistakes include using the wrong form of the superlative adjective, comparing only two things, and using the wrong word order.

Once you understand superlatives, you can make your speech sound much more natural and improve your comprehension. Check out other references to learn more about adjectives and their basic English grammar!