Small → the smallest
With many short words, add -est. Put the before the word.
small → the smallest
tall → the tallest
cheap → the cheapest
Grammar · A1
Superlative adjectives
Look at a group and find the biggest, cheapest or best one.
The red bag is the biggest of the three.
01 · The idea
Look at all three bags.
Big, small and expensive describe a bag. These words are adjectives.
The red bag is the biggest.
The green bag is the smallest and the cheapest.
The blue bag is the most expensive.
Expensive → the most expensive
With many longer words, put the most before the word. Keep the word unchanged.
expensive → the most expensive
interesting → the most interesting
Choose one pattern: the tallest. Do not add most as well.
02 · More examples
Make the words. Compare the bags.
With many short words, add -est: small → the smallest, cheap → the cheapest.
The red bag is the biggest of the three.
The green bag is the smallest of the three.
The green bag is the cheapest: it costs €10.
Put the most before many longer words. Expensive → the most expensive. Do not add -est.
The blue bag is the most expensive: it costs €30.
This is the most interesting story.
Tall uses -est: the tallest. Use one pattern, not both together.
Good → the best. Bad → the worst.
This is the best pizza in town.
That was the worst day of the week.
This is the smallest of the three.
Look a little closer
Two bags. A group of bags.
Compare two: bigger than. Find one in a group: the biggest.
Of these two bags, the red bag is bigger.
Of these three bags, the red bag is the biggest.
wide → the widest; hot → the hottest; happy → the happiest
03 · Build a sentence
Make a choice. See what changes.
Change one choice at a time. Watch the sentence blocks.
The red bag is the biggest of the three.
Which group?
What do you want?
04 · Try it together
Choose the correct answer.
Quick check 1
This is the ___ building in town. (tall)
One thing stands out in a group of three or more.
Quick check 2
This is the ___ expensive coat in the shop.
Look at the whole group. Compare the most expensive and the most interesting.
Quick check 3
This is the ___ pizza in town. (good)
Choose the special word for good or bad in a whole group.
05 · Real-life English
Use it in a conversation.
A: Which room do you want? B: This is the biggest, but that is the cheapest. A: Let's take the cheapest. We only need one night.
Compare three rooms, bags or tickets. Choose one for a person with little money.
A: What is the best café near here? B: I like Green Café. It has the most delicious soup. A: Let's go there.
Recommend a place you know. Say what is best about it.
06 · Common mistakes
Which sentence is correct?
07 · Keep this
The lesson in three small steps.
Short words: the + -est
Of three bags, this is the biggest.
Longer words: the most + word
Of three bags, this is the most expensive.
The best. The worst.
good → the best; bad → the worst
08 · Practice
Ready to try?
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