Superlatives

UNIT  100 Superlatives -the longest, the most enjoyable, etc.

A.   Study these examples:

What is the longest river in the world?
What was the most enjoyable vacation you've ever had?
 
Longest and most enjoyable are superlative forms.

B.   We use -est or to form the superlative of and adverbs. In general we use -est for most (The the same as those for shorter words and most for longer words, rules are the comparative see Unit 97.) For example:

hard/hardest     easy/easiest     hot/hottest      long/longest

but: most famous     most boring     most expensive     most difficult

• Yesterday was the hottest day of the year.

• That was the most boring movie I've ever seen.

• "Why did you stay at that hotel?" "It was the cheapest we could find."

• She is a really nice person one of the nicest people I know.

Note the irregular superlatives best and worst:

• That was a delicious meal. It's one of the best I've ever had.

• Why does he always come to see me at the worst possible moment?

Don't forget that we normally use the with superlatives: ''the best,'' ''the most boring," etc                       

C.   oldest and eldest

The superlative of old is oldest

• That house over there is the oldest building in the town. (not the eldest)

We use eldest when we are talking about the members of a family (oldest is also possible)

• My eldest (or oldest) son is 13 years old.

• Are you the eldest (or oldest) in your family?

D.   After superlatives, we use in with places (towns, buildings, etc.)

• What's the longest river in the world? (not of the world)

• We were lucky to have one of the nicest rooms in the hotel.

Also: (the best . . .) in the class/ in the company, etc.
But: the happiest day of my life, the hottest day of the year.

• What's the best movie you've ever seen?

• That was the most delicious meal I've had in a long time.

E.   We sometimes use most + adjective (without the) to mean very:

• The book you lent me was most interesting. (= very interesting)

• Thank you for the money. It was most generous of you. (= very generous)