THE SUPERLATIVE
When comparing two things one uses the comparative (previous lesson); however, for comparisons in larger groups, you must use the superlative. The superlative designates extremes: the best, the first, the worst, the last, etc.
A. It is the word "most" or the ending "--est" that designates the superlative.
- He is the most efficient worker we have.
- That is the poorest family in the neighborhood.
B. The compared term (adjective or adverb) will be preceded by the definite article:
- He works the fastest of any student I know.
- She is the tallest woman in town.
C. Unlike the comparative, the superlative is not followed by "than": instead, one uses "of," followed by the context of the comparison (although this context is sometimes implicit):
- It's the best day of my life!
- She works the best of the whole class.
- She's the one who arrived first.
Irregular forms
Monosyllabic adjectives (and several common two-syllable adjectives) take the ending "--est" in superlatives of superiority, and thus will not use the adverb "most." However, these same adjectives will use "less," like other adjectives, in superlatives of inferiority:
young --> the youngest, tall --> the tallest, old --> the oldest
>If the adjective ends in "--y" the "y" becomes "i":
heavy --> the heaviest, early --> the earliest, busy --> the busiest, healthy --> the healthiest, chilly --> the chilliest
>If the adjective ends in "--e" one adds only "--st" :
wise --> the wisest, large --> the largest, simple --> the simplest, late --> the latest,
>If the adjective ends in "single vowel + consonant," the consonant is doubled and one adds "--est":
red --> the reddest, big --> the biggest, thin --> the thinnest, hot --> the hottest>Some very common superlatives have irregular forms:
good --> the best, bad --> the worst, far --> the farthest,>Some adjectives exist only in superlative form:
the first, the last
