Superlatives

Use the superlative to show that something has the highest quality of some trait within a group of subjects.

One Syllable -est

• small – smallest
  • This is my smallest pan.
• cold – coldest
  • Winter is the coldest time of the year.
• young – youngest
  • This is my youngest sister.

One Syllable ending in /e/ – add -st

• safe – safest
  • This is not the safest place to live.
• nice – nicest
  • He is the nicest person in the office.
• close – closest
  • This is the closest shop to my house.

Consonant + Vowel + Consonant – add -(x)est

• hot – hottest
  • Florida is the hottest state in America.
• big – biggest
  • Tokyo is the biggest city in Japan.
• wet – wettest
  • April is the wettest month of the year.

Two Syllables ending in /y/ – change to -iest

• happy – happiest
  • I am happiest when I am at home.
• angry – angriest
  • He is the angriest man I know.
• pretty – prettiest
  • This is the prettiest part of town.

Two or More Syllables → use most + adjective

• dangerous – most dangerous
  • This is the most dangerous part of town.
• expensive – most expensive
  • This is the most expensive restaurant in my city.
• difficult – most difficult
  • This is the most difficult part of the test.

Irregular Forms

• good – best
  • Do your best!
• bad – worst
  • This was my worst performance.