Superlative Adverbs
What are superlative adverbs?
Generally, adverbs are used to add more to the meaning of verbs,
adjectives, and other adverbs. What do they add? They add something more related
to time, place, frequency, or manner. Most adverbs have three degrees or
forms whose names are positive, comparative, and superlative. Comparative and superlative
adverbs compare actions.
Definition of Superlative Adverbs
What are superlative adverbs? We use a superlative adverb to compare the action of one object with the actions of the whole group.
- Ali worked the hardest this year.
- He got his promotion the soonest in his
team.
- She came at the latest, so she did not enjoy the
party.
Formation of Superlative Adverbs
To form superlative adverbs, we have three ways. The first one is adding the suffix ‘EST’ to the base adverbs. The second one is using most/least before the adverb. The last one is the superlative degree of irregular adverbs. Irregular ones have their specific forms. We use the word ‘the’ which is also called definite article before the superlative adverb.
Adding Suffix ‘ER’
One-syllable adverbs or adverbs that don’t end in ‘LY’ need the
suffix ‘EST’ for their superlative degrees.
|
Adverb |
Comparative
|
Superlative |
|
Long |
Longer |
Longest
|
|
Fast |
Faster |
Fastest |
|
High |
Higher |
Highest
|
|
Loud |
Louder |
Loudest |
|
Near |
Nearer |
Nearest |
- We will travel the longest this
month.
- You must run the fastest to win the race.
- Ali jumped the highest in the jumping contest.
- It is your habit to speak the loudest in the
meeting.
- When the program started, Ali came the nearest to the
stage.
Spelling Changes
When we add the suffix ‘EST’, some spelling changes take place.
If an adverb ends in ‘E’, we just add ‘ST’.
Fine ---- Finest
Late ---- latest
- I felt the
finest today in
the school.
- You must
submit your assignments the latest by tomorrow at 4:00 pm.
If an adverb ends in a vowel + a consonant, we double the last
consonant and add the suffix ‘EST’.
Flat ---- flattest
Thin --- thinnest
- Only you
lay the flattest.
- You
should slice the thinnest for me.
If an adverb ends in a consonant + ‘Y’, we change ‘y’ into ‘I’ and
add the suffix ‘EST’.
Early ---- earliest
- Ali did
his test the earliest in the examination hall.
Adding the Word Most/Least
We use the word most/least before the adverbs that end in ‘LY’ to
make their superlative degrees. It means we use most/least before adverbs that
are made by adding ‘LY’ to adjectives.
|
Adverb |
Comparative
|
Superlative
|
|
Furiously
|
More furiously
|
Most furiously
|
|
Slowly |
More slowly |
Most slowly |
|
Beautifully
|
More beautifully
|
Most beautifully
|
|
Happily
|
More happily |
Most happily |
|
Courageously
|
More courageously
|
Most courageously
|
- The eagle swoops the most furiously.
- I walked the most slowly, so I reached late.
- I saw Rohama’s dance, she danced the most
beautifully.
- I arranged the program the most happily as you
were the participants.
- He drove the most courageously even though his
brakes were not working well.
Irregular Adverbs
Irregular adverbs have their specific superlative degrees. They are
pre-specified and they don’t need to add ‘EST’ or the word most/least.
|
Adverb |
Comparative
|
Superlative
|
|
Much |
More |
Most |
|
Well |
Better |
Best |
|
Little |
Less |
Least |
|
Badly |
Worse |
Worst |
|
Far |
Farther/further
|
Farthest/furthest |
- He did the most for the nation.
- He had studied the best in our
class.
- You always work the least in the
office.
- He replied to me the worst in the meeting.
- We went the farthest to prey yesterday.
