In the superlative you talk about one thing only and how it is the best, worst, etc. You do not compare two things. The following guidelines apply to the superlative:
1-syllable adjectives: add -est to the adjective (plus the)
- My sister is the tallest in our family.
- Yesterday was the coldest day of the year so far.
Note: If the word ends: consonant-vowel-consonant, then the last consonant is usually doubled in the superlative. Examples: big-biggest, fat-fattest, hot-hottest.
2-syllable adjectives ending in -y: change the -y to -iest (plus the)
- The richest people are not always the happiest.
- Which do you think is the easiest language to learn?
- She's the luckiest person I know.
Beware: Do not confuse adjectives and adverbs. 2-syllable adverbs ending in -y form their superlative with the words the most. Example: Of all the people I know my father drives the most quickly (quickliest).
Other 2-syllable adjectives: use the most with the unchanged adjective
- The most boring thing about ESL class is doing grammar exercises.
- My sister is the most careful person I know.
Note: The superlative of some shorter 2-syllable adjectives can be formed with -er. Examples: simple-simplest, clever-cleverest, narrow-narrowest. To be sure which superlative method to use, you will need to consult a good dictionary.
Adjectives with 3 or more syllables: use the most with the unchanged adjective
- Some people think that Russian is the most difficult language.
- Albert Einstein was the most intelligent person in history.
- My most enjoyable class is English.
- You are the most irritating person I have ever met!
Following are two common irregular comaparative/superlative forms:
- good-better-the best
- bad-worse-the worst
The following guidelines apply to the comparative/superlative of mostadverbs:
1-syllable adverbs: add -er/-est
- I can run faster than you. / I can run the fastest in my class.
- She works harder than me.† / She works the hardest of all students.
Other adverbs: use more / the most*
- She ran more quickly than me.† / Of all the students she ran the most quickly.
* In informal English it is common to hear the adjectival comparative/superlative form of two-syllable adverbs. For example: She ran quicker than me.† | She ran the quickest.
† Many educated English speakers prefer to use the nominative plus a verb rather than the accusative in such comparative sentences, especially in formal situations. They say, for example, My sister is taller than I am. or She ran more quickly than I did.The alternative, omitting the verb as in the following examples, is considered to be even more formal and is avoided by most British English speakers: My sister is taller than I. orShe ran more quickly than I.
