The most of the most. He doesn’t go anymore. The last straw. The end … Superlatives are the most exaggerated way of describing something. Let’s see how we train them in English.
HOW DOES THE VAUGHAN METHOD WORK?
The theory
As comparatives, superlatives are formed in one way or another depending on the number of syllables having the adjective, but always by putting the front. Look:
- If you have a syllable, we add -est : cheap> the cheapest
- If it has two syllables but ends in y , we add -est and that and it becomes i : easy> the easiest
- If it has two syllables and does not end in y , we put most in front of the adjective: boring> the most boring
- If it has three or more syllables, we also put most in front of the adjective: expensive> the most expensive
eye! Note that there are some adjectives that do not meet the rule: clever> the cleverest , simple> the simplest , etc. They are not many, but there they are.
The practice
We start with some comparatives of those formed by adding -est . Make sure you pronounce the end t loudly !
| She is the richest person in the country. | She is the richest person in the country. |
| They are the highest peaks in the region. | They are the highest peaks in the region. |
| Susan’s father is the oldest person in her company. | Susan’s father is the oldest person in his company. |
HOW DOES THE VAUGHAN METHOD WORK?
We continue with adjectives that lead the most , pronounced / dz to móussst / or, if you want to emphasize, / dzi móussst / .
| He is the most attractive man (there is) here today. | He is the most attractive man here today. |
| I am the most popular student at school. | I am the most popular student at school. |
| They are the smartest candidates. | They are the most intelligent candidates. |
Now it’s up to you to choose between the … –est and the most … Let’s see if you do it without making mistakes!
| Our image is the most important. | Our image is the most important thing. |
| Always start with the easiest question first. | Always start with the easiest question first. |
| Tania is the smartest woman I know. | Tania is the cleverest woman I know. |
Extra
Pronunciation key
To pronounce most you have to add a u to the word: / móussst / . Think of the / móu / bar instead of Mó-stoles!
Common mistake
She is the most tall person here . If you don’t understand why the previous sentence is wrong, start again
