Unit 12

Conferences
Superlatives
Superlative forms
Use
1. To describe the maximum or minimum.
• This has the largest memory of any computer.
2. Followed by the present perfect to describe our experience of
something.
• It was the worst food I´ve ever tasted.
3. The opposite of the most is the least.
Form Examples

1. Add –est to one and some two syllable adjectives and to adverbs small  smallest
with the same forms as adjectives, ex: fast, straight, high. fast  fastest
• If the adjective or adverb ends in –y, change to –i and add -est.
early  earliest
2. Double the consonant after a vowel at the end of short adjectives.
high  highest
3. Some adjectives are irregular.
Hot  hottest
Big  biggest
4. Add most to two or more syllable adjectives and adverbs ending
in –ly (except early). good/well  best
bad/badly  worst
5. Add most to adjectives ending in -ed. accurate  most accurate

6. In most sentences, use the before the superlative. quickly  most quickly

pleased  most pleased

tired  most tired
This is the nicest car in the market.
SUPERLATIVES – COMPARING 3
THINGS OR MORE

• Steve Jobs is the tallest of the IT entrepreneurs.

• Estée Lauder is the prettiest in the cosmetics area.

• Richard Branson is the most tenacious.

 practice

Complete the sentences with the superlative form of the adjective or adverb in
parentheses.
1. The biggest (big) _______________ piles of trash on Mount Everest are on the
lower areas.
2. Trash is one of (bad) _______________ problems on Mount Everest now.
3. Many climbers consider K2, a mountain between Pakistan and China, to be
(difficult) _______________ mountain to climb, not Mount Everest.
4. Ted was (experienced) _______________ climber on the expedition.
5. Which climber is (far) _______________ from the top?
 Use the words in parentheses to write superlative sentences. Use least when not is included
in the parentheses. Make the nouns plural if necessary.

1. This is a state park. (not popular / in California) This is the least popular state park in California.
2. Canada is a country. (large / in North America)
3. Tokyo has a population. (big / in Japan)
4. This is an apartment. (not expensive / in the building)
5. Alan drives. (fast / of my three brothers)
6. Jane is a student. (one of the / intelligent / in her class)
7. That was a class. (one of the / not interesting / I’ve ever taken)
8. Mel works. (not efficiently / all the people in this office)
9. This is a computer. (cheap / in the store)
10.That’s a street. (one of the / pretty / in this city)
 Read the article
about trash in the
desert. Find and
correct eight
more errors with
superlatives
Work with a
partner. Use the
words in
parentheses to
write superlatives.
Then choose the
correct answer to
complete each fact
on the quiz.
IRREGULARITIES

ADVERBS
ADJECTIVES

• Well, better, best

• Good, better, best
• Badly, worse, worst
• Bad, worse, worst
• Much, more, most
• Much/Many, more, most
• Little, less, least
• Little, less, least
• Far, farther, farthest
• Far, farther, farthest
 EXAMPLES
• He is a better driver than you, but he is a worse student than you. (Adj)
• He did better/worse than you in the test. (Adv)
• She dressed the best of all the women at the party. (Adv)
• She eats more/less than you. (Adv)
• We went further than you into the forest. (Adv)