No two persons are exactly the same. The same is true for qualities and attributes which is why we compare persons or objects to distinguish between attributes in terms of which one is superior and which one is inferior to the other. However, in a class or group, there is always a person or object with an attribute that supersedes that of the others which brings us to the understanding of the concept of superlative adjectives.
What is a Superlative Adjective?
Superlative adjectives are adjectives that describe extreme qualities of nouns. They are adjectives that describe persons or objects with the highest or lowest degree of an attribute in a group. When a person or object is either at the top or at the very bottom in a group or category based on their attributes, we use superlative adjectives to describe them.
Observe the following:
- John is the smartest boy in my class.
- Erasers are the least used materials in secondary school.
From the examples above, you would have observed that a comparison is drawn between the nouns which serve as the subject and the other nouns which are members of the same group as the noun: e.g.,. "John" and "class", and "Erasers" and "Materials". The comparison here is between one person or object and the group in which they belong to show their superiority or inferiority to the group at extreme positions: "highest" or "lowest/least".
Forming Superlative Adjectives
In forming superlative adjectives, generally, we add the bound morpheme: "-est", to a base adjective. However, there are exceptions to this rule as you would see in the following sections.
Categories of Superlative Adjectives
The categories of superlative adjectives include; Short Adjectives and Long Adjectives.
Short Adjectives
Short adjectives are one syllable or monosyllabic adjectives that take the suffix: "-est", in forming superlative adjectives. These are adjectives that can be produced in one sound or instance of articulation to which we add the morpheme: "-est", and the article : "the", before the base adjective to create superlative adjectives.
Observe the following:
- High becomes the highest.
- Great becomes the greatest.
- Fast becomes the fastest.
- Slow becomes the slowest.
- Strong becomes the strongest.
However, we can include two syllable or bisyllabic adjectives in this category, particularly those ending in "-y". For instance: Fancy, Lazy, Healthy, Heavy, Feisty, etc.,. When forming superlative adjectives from this class of adjectives, we substitute the "-y" ending for "-i", and add the suffix: "-est", to them.
Observe the following:
- Fancy becomes the fanciest.
- Lazy becomes the laziest.
- Healthy becomes the healthiest.
- Heavy becomes the heaviest.
- Feisty becomes the feistiest.
Remember to always add the definite article: "the", before superlative adjectives.
When a base adjective consists of a vowel placed between two consonants, we double the last consonant before adding the suffix: "-est", to it in forming superlative adjectives.
Observe the following:
- Big becomes the biggest.
- Fat becomes the fattest.
- Wet becomes the wettest.
- Fit becomes the fittest.
- Hot becomes the hottest.
But when there are two vowels in between the consonants, we only add "-est", without doubling the final consonant.
Observe the following:
- Weak becomes the weakest.
- Free becomes the freest.
- Cool becomes the coolest.
- Neat becomes the neatest.
- Vain becomes the vainest.
When using adjectives that end in "-e", to form superlative adjectives, we do not add "-est", at the end of the adjective, rather we add "-st".
Observe the following:
- Large becomes the largest.
- Brave becomes the bravest.
- Wise becomes the wisest.
- Fine becomes the finest.
- Cute becomes the cutest.
Long Adjectives
Long Adjectives are two or more syllable adjectives—polysyllabic adjectives—that take the words: "most" or "least" in forming superlative adjectives unlike short adjectives which we need to add "-est" to in order to form superlative adjectives..
Observe the following:
2 Syllables:
- Honest becomes the most honest or the least honest.
- Careful becomes the most careful or the least careful.
3 Syllables:
- Exciting becomes the most exciting or the least exciting.
- Delicate becomes the most delicate or the least delicate.
- Dangerous becomes the most dangerous or the least dangerous
4 Syllables:
- Inspirational becomes the most inspirational or the least inspirational.
- Ridiculous becomes the most ridiculous or the least ridiculous.
There are adjectives that do not follow the regular pattern of forming superlative adjectives such as adding the suffix "-est", at the end of an adjective or adding the words : "most" or "least", before them. These adjectives are in a different class of their own and are referred to as irregular adjectives. They change completely when forming superlative adjectives such that their original or base form cannot be deduced from merely looking at them.
Observe the following:
- Good becomes the best.
- Bad becomes the worst.
- Far becomes the farthest or the furthest.
- Well becomes the best.
- Ill becomes the worst.
In the same vain, another class of adjectives do not conform to the conventions of forming superlative adjectives. These adjectives take both the addition of the suffix: "-est", at their end or the placement of the words "most" or "least", before them alternatively. What this means is that they can either have the suffix attached to them or the words "most" or "least" before them, both ways are acceptable for them.
Observe the following:
- Common can be realized as both the commonest and the most common or the least common.
- Clever can be realized as both cleverest and the most clever or the least clever.
- Narrow can be realized as both the narrowest and the most narrow or the least narrow.
- Quiet can be realized as both quietest and the most quiet or the least quiet.
- Handsome can be realized as both handsomest and the most handsome or the least handsome.
Structure of Superlative Sentences
In forming sentences that show comparison of extreme degree between a person or object and other persons or objects in the same group, you combine the following: Subject + Verb + definite article (the) + Superlative Adjective + Noun + Empty or other elements.
Observe the following:
- Luke is the healthiest of the quadruplets.
- Gordon was the tallest guy in high school.
- The Croods is the most interesting animated movie I have watched.
- Farming is the best occupation compared to scamming.
- To forgive is the best way to show maturity.
Superlative Sentences without an Identified Group
We can also make comparisons of extreme qualities without referring to what we are making the comparison against. This is usually the case when the person or group being compared to is already known to the participants involved in a conversation.
Observe the following:
- Melissa is the cutest.
- Water is the coolest.
- Fairytales are the most interesting.
- Nigeria is the most populated.
- Education is the least funded.
Superlative adjectives indicate qualities of nouns at extreme positions either at the highest position or at the lowest position. It makes a comparison between an individual or object and other individuals or objects in the same group or category based on qualities. Superlative adjectives are formed from short adjectives in which case we add "-est", at their end and the definite article "the", before them as well as by long adjectives to which we add the words: "most" or "least", with the definite article: "the", preceding them. Understanding how to use superlative adjectives will better equip you for making comparisons of extreme qualities like a super language user!