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English grammar

the cheapest, the most expensive

A2 · Elementary Nouns and describing Questions 10

The rule

To say one thing stands above all the others, a short adjective takes the + -est and a long one takes the most: the cheapest room, the most expensive room. the is not optional. The same four irregulars appear again: the best, the worst, the furthest, the least.

Pattern

the + short + -est · the most + long · the best · the worst

Examples

  1. It is the cheapest room in the hotel.

  2. That was the most difficult exam of the year.

  3. This is the best café in the town centre.

  4. Which is the nearest pharmacy?

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: It is cheapest room.

    Right: It is the cheapest room.

    A superlative always takes the.

  • Wrong: It is the most cheapest.

    Right: It is the cheapest.

    Do not use most and -est together.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Fill in the gap.

    It was _____ day of the year.

    1. hottest
    2. hotter
    3. the most hot
    4. the hottest
    Show answer

    Answer: D It was the hottest day of the year.

    the + -est.

  2. 2Fill in the gap.

    This is _____ shop in the street.

    1. the busiest
    2. the most busy
    3. busier
    4. the busyest
    Show answer

    Answer: A This is the busiest shop in the street.

    A consonant before y becomes iest.

  3. 3Fill in the gap.

    She is _____ person in the team.

    1. the most experienced
    2. the more experienced
    3. most experienced
    4. the experiencedest
    Show answer

    Answer: A She is the most experienced person in the team.

    A long adjective takes the most.

  4. 4Fill in the gap.

    That was _____ film I have seen.

    1. the most bad
    2. the baddest
    3. the worst
    4. worse
    Show answer

    Answer: C That was the worst film I have seen.

    bad → the worst.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    Which is _____ way to the station?

    1. quickest
    2. the most quick
    3. the quickest
    4. quicker
    Show answer

    Answer: C Which is the quickest way to the station?

    the + -est.

  6. 6Choose the correct sentence.

    1. It is the best restaurant here.
    2. It is the most best restaurant here.
    3. It is best restaurant here.
    4. It is the goodest restaurant here.
    Show answer

    Answer: A It is the best restaurant here.

    good → the best, and nothing else.

  7. 7Choose the correct sentence.

    1. This is the most useful book.
    2. This is the usefullest book.
    3. This is most useful book.
    4. This is the more useful book.
    Show answer

    Answer: A This is the most useful book.

    A long adjective takes the most.

  8. 8This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. It is the cheapest option.
    2. It is the most cheapest option.
    3. It is the most expensive option.
    4. It is the best option.
    Show answer

    Answer: B It is the most cheapest option.

    most and -est cannot be used together.

  9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. She is the youngest in the family.
    2. She is the oldest in the family.
    3. He is the oldest in the family.
    4. She is oldest in the family.
    Show answer

    Answer: D She is oldest in the family.

    A superlative needs the.

  10. 10Put the words in the right order.

    It is the nearest bus stop

    Show answer

    Answer: It is the nearest bus stop.

    the, then the -est form.

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