1

83. The oldest / the most expensive

HOTEL PRICES (per person, per night)
Royal Hotel $ 300
Sunset $ 150
Grad Hotel $ 250
Willows $ 140
Newport $ 200
Carlton $ 130
Park
$ 19
Star $ 120
Palace
$ 190
Station $ 100

Box A is bigger than box B.

Box A is bigger than all the other boxes.

The Royal Hotel is more expensive than the Grand.

The Royal Hotel is more expensive than all the other
hotel in the town.
Box A is the biggest box.
The Royal Hotel is the most expensive hotel in the
in the town.
Bigger/older/more expensive, etc. are comparative forms.
Biggest/oldest/most expensive, etc. are superlative forms.
A. The superlative form is-est (oldest) or most.....(most expensive:
Short adjectives (old/cheap/nice, etc.)
the est :
old the oldest
cheap
the cheapest
nice
but good
the best bad
the worst
Spelling: big
the biggest
hot
the hottest
- y adjectives (easy/heavy, etc.)
the - iest:
easy
the easiest
heavy
the heaviest

pretty

the nicest

the prettiest

Long adjectives (modern/expensive/interesting, etc)

the most .
modern
the most modern
interesting
the most interesting
B. Dont forget the We say the oldest /the most expensive ,etc.:
The church is very old. Its 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 isnt the most important thing in life.
Raymond Murphy. Essential Grammar in Use. Singapore : Cambridge University Press. 2002.

Excuse me, where is the nearest bank?

C. You can use the oldest/the most expensive, etc. without a noun:
Ken is a good tennis player. He is the best in our school.
(the best = the best player)
D. You can use the superlative + Ive ever /youve ever:
It was a very bad movie the worst movie Ive ever seen.
What is the most unusual thing youve ever done?
For Ive ever /youve ever (present perfect)

Exercises
83.1Write sentences with comparatives (older, etc.) and superlatives (the oldest, etc.)

2.

A
B
C
D

A
B
C
D

3.

4.

RESTAURANT A
RESTAURANT B
RESTAURANT
C
5.
RESTAURANT D

excellent
not bad
good but not wonderful
terrible

(big/small)
(A/D) A is bigger than D.
(A) A is the biggest.
(B) B is the smallest.
(long/short)
(C/A) C is .....
(D) D is .....
(B) B .
(young/old)
(D/C) D............................................
(B).....................................................
(C)....................................................
(expensive/cheap)
(D/A) ........................... ...................
(C) ....................................................
(A) ...................................................
(good/bad)
(A/C)...............................................
(A) .................................................
(D) .................................................

Raymond Murphy. Essential Grammar in Use. Singapore : Cambridge University Press. 2002.

83.2 Write sentences with a superlative (the longest, etc.)

Sydney Brazil
large
Country planet
The USA the solar system
Everest Jupiter
long
City
state
Africa
South America
Alaska the Nile
high
River mountain
The world Australia
1. Sydney is the largest city in Australia.
2. Everest..................................................................................................
3. ...............................................................................................................
4. ...............................................................................................................
5. ...............................................................................................................
6. ...............................................................................................................
83.3 Complete the sentences. Use a superlative (the oldest, etc.).
1. This building is very old. Its............................................................................ in the town.
2. It was a very happy day. It was .................................................................................... of my life.
3. Its a very good movie. Its.......................................................................................... Ive ever seen.
4. Shes a very popular singer. Shes.................................................................................... in our country.
5. It was a very ban mistake. It was............................................................................ Ive ever made.
6. Its a very pretty town. Its .....................................................................................Ive ever seen.
7. It was a very cold day. It was........................................................................................... of the year.
8. Hes a very interesting. Hes................................................................................... Ive ever met.

Raymond Murphy. Essential Grammar in Use. Singapore : Cambridge University Press. 2002.