6 rules for using superlative adjectives. We use superlative adjectives when we are comparing one thing to 2 or more things.
Examples of superlative adjectives:
- Of all animals, the cheetah is the fastest runner. (comparing cheetahs to every other animal)
- Some people think that English is the most difficult language in the world. (comparing English to all other languages)
- In my house, I have to get up the earliest because my job starts at 5 a.m. (comparing the time I get up to the time everyone else gets up).
Syllables and superlative adjectives
To understand the rules for using superlative adjectives, you will need to know the meaning of a syllable.
A syllable is a single sound. For example, ‘goodbye’ has two syllables – ‘good’ and ‘bye’.
Here are some more examples:
1 syllable words: | hot, cold, dry |
2 syllable words: | happy, tired |
3 syllable words: | excited, exhausted |
When making superlative adjectives, there are 6 rules you need to remember:
Superlative adjectives rule 1 of 6: With adjectives with one syllable, simply add the …..+est. For example:
- tall > the tallest
- fast > the fastest
- high > the highest
Superlative adjectives rule 2 of 6: if the adjective ends in +y, remove the +y and add the …+iest. For example:
- happy > the happiest
- angry > the angriest
- busy > the busiest
Superlative adjectives rule 3 of 6: Adjectives that already end in +e only have the …+st added. For example:
- nice > the nicest
- safe > the safest
- late > the latest
Superlative adjectives rule 4 of 6:
We add the most… to words with 3 syllables or more. For example:
- intelligent > the most intelligent
- beautiful > the most beautiful
- interesting > the most interesting
Superlative adjectives rule 5 of 6: With adjectives with two syllables, there are TWO possible options.
- Some 2-syllable adjectives have the …est (especially adjectives that end in -y, -le, and -er)
- happy > the happiest
- bright > the brightest
- Some 2-syllable adjectives have the most…
- honest > the most honest
- modern > the most modern
- Other 2 syllable adjectives can use either of these options
- clever > the cleverest OR the most clever
- gentle > the gentlest OR the most gentle
- clever > the cleverest OR the most clever
Superlative adjectives rule 6 of 6: Adjectives that end with a consonant, then a vowel, then a consonant need the consonant doubled. For example:
- big > the biggest (not the bigest)
- hot > the hottest (not the hotest)
- fat > the fattest (not the fatest)
Now test your skills with a quick test. Click the link in the table below.