Unit 89: the oldest / the most expensive
Master superlative adjectives
A. the oldest / the most expensive
Box A is bigger than Box B.
Box A is bigger than all the other boxes.
Box A is the biggest box.
The Europa Hotel is more expensive than the Grand.
The Europa Hotel is more expensive than all the other hotels in the town.
The Europa Hotel is the most expensive hotel in the town.
bigger / older / more expensive etc. are comparative forms (→ Unit 86).
biggest / oldest / most expensive etc. are superlative forms.
The superlative form is -est (oldest) or most ... (most expensive).
B. the -est / the most ...
Short words (old/cheap/nice etc.) → the -est:
• old → the oldest
• cheap → the cheapest
• nice → the nicest
• but good → the best
• bad → the worst
• old → the oldest
• cheap → the cheapest
• nice → the nicest
• but good → the best
• bad → the worst
Spelling (→ Appendix 5): big → the biggest, hot → the hottest
Words ending in -y (easy/heavy etc.) → the -iest:
• easy → the easiest
• heavy → the heaviest
• pretty → the prettiest
• easy → the easiest
• heavy → the heaviest
• pretty → the prettiest
Long words (careful/expensive/interesting etc.) → the most ...:
• careful → the most careful
• expensive → the most expensive
• interesting → the most interesting
• careful → the most careful
• expensive → the most expensive
• interesting → the most interesting
C. We say: the oldest ... / the most expensive ... etc. (with the):
• The church is very old. It’s the oldest building in the town.
(= it is older than all the other buildings)
• What is the longest river in the world?
• Money is important but it isn’t the most important thing in life.
• Excuse me, where is the nearest bank?
(= it is older than all the other buildings)
• What is the longest river in the world?
• Money is important but it isn’t the most important thing in life.
• Excuse me, where is the nearest bank?
D. You can use the oldest / the best / the most expensive etc. without a noun:
• Ken is a good player but he isn’t the best in the team.
(the best = the best player)
(the best = the best player)
E. superlative + I've ever ... / you've ever ... etc.
• The film was very bad. I think it’s the worst film I’ve ever seen.
• What is the most unusual thing you’ve ever done?
• What is the most unusual thing you’ve ever done?
-est superlatives
old → the oldest
cheap → the cheapest
nice → the nicest
good → the best
bad → the worst
cheap → the cheapest
nice → the nicest
good → the best
bad → the worst
the most ... superlatives
careful → the most careful
expensive → the most expensive
interesting → the most interesting
expensive → the most expensive
interesting → the most interesting
With "the"
the oldest building in the town
the longest river in the world
the longest river in the world
89.1 Write sentences with comparatives (older etc.) and superlatives (the oldest etc.).
1
2
3
4
- (big / small)
(A/D) A is bigger than D.
(A) A is the biggest. - (B) B is .
- (long / short)
(C/A) C is .
(C) C is . - (D) D is .
- (young / old)
(D/C) D is .
(B) B is . - (C) C is .
- (expensive / cheap)
(D/A) D is .
(C) C is . - (A) A is .
- (good / bad)
(A/C) A is .
(A) A is . - (D) D is .
89.2 Complete the sentences. Use a superlative (the oldest etc.).
- This building is very old. It’s the oldest building in the town.
- It was a very happy day. It was of my life.
- It’s a very good film. It’s I’ve ever seen.
- She’s a very popular singer. She’s in the country.
- It was a very bad mistake. It was I’ve ever made.
- It’s a very pretty village. It’s I’ve ever seen.
- It was a very cold day. It was of the year.
- He’s a very boring person. He’s I’ve ever met.
89.3 Write sentences with a superlative (the longest etc.).
Sydney Brazil
Everest Jupiter
large country planet
long every mountain
high river the Nile
the USA the solar system
South America Africa
- Sydney is the largest city in Australia.
- Everest is in the world.
- is the longest river in Africa.
- is the largest planet in the solar system.
- is the largest country in South America.
- is the largest country in North America.