English is a fascinating and complex language, filled with nuances and rules that can sometimes be puzzling. One such area of intrigue is the concept of “double superlatives.” While the term might sound a bit technical, it refers to a common mistake that even native speakers make from time to time. Understanding what double superlatives are and how to avoid them can significantly improve your English proficiency. This article will explore the concept, provide examples, and offer tips for avoiding this grammatical pitfall.
Understanding Superlatives
Before diving into double superlatives, it’s crucial to understand what a superlative is. Superlatives are used to describe the highest degree of a particular quality among three or more items. They are typically formed by adding the suffix “-est” to an adjective or by using the word “most” before the adjective. For example:
– “Tall” becomes “tallest.”
– “Beautiful” becomes “most beautiful.”
Superlatives help us compare one thing to all others in a group, emphasizing that it has the highest degree of a particular quality.
Common Examples of Superlatives
To further illustrate the point, here are a few common superlatives in English:
– Big -> Biggest
– Small -> Smallest
– Fast -> Fastest
– Slow -> Slowest
– Happy -> Happiest
– Sad -> Saddest
Using these superlatives, you might construct sentences like:
– “Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.”
– “She is the happiest person I know.”
What Are Double Superlatives?
Now that we have a clear understanding of superlatives, let’s delve into double superlatives. A double superlative occurs when two superlative forms are used to describe the same quality. This is grammatically incorrect and often sounds awkward. Double superlatives can happen in two ways:
1. By using both the “-est” suffix and the word “most.”
2. By using “most” along with an adjective that already has a superlative form.
Examples of Double Superlatives
To better understand double superlatives, let’s look at some examples:
– Incorrect: “This is the most tallest building in the city.”
– Correct: “This is the tallest building in the city.”
– Incorrect: “She is the most happiest person I know.”
– Correct: “She is the happiest person I know.”
– Incorrect: “He is the most fastest runner on the team.”
– Correct: “He is the fastest runner on the team.”
In each of these cases, the incorrect sentence uses both “most” and the “-est” suffix to form a double superlative. The correct sentences eliminate the redundancy by using only one superlative form.
Why Do People Use Double Superlatives?
Double superlatives often occur due to a misunderstanding of how superlatives are formed. They can also result from an attempt to emphasize a point. People might think that using both “most” and the “-est” suffix will make their statement stronger. However, this is not the case, and it actually weakens the sentence by making it grammatically incorrect.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
To avoid falling into the trap of using double superlatives, keep the following tips in mind:
1. **Know Your Adjectives**: Familiarize yourself with adjectives that already have a superlative form. For example, “good” becomes “best,” and “bad” becomes “worst.” These adjectives do not need “most” to become superlatives.
2. **Practice Makes Perfect**: Regularly practice forming superlatives from adjectives. This will help you become more comfortable with the rules and less likely to make mistakes.
3. **Use One Superlative Form**: Remember that you only need one superlative form to describe the highest degree of a quality. Either use the “-est” suffix or the word “most,” but not both.
4. **Read and Listen**: Pay attention to how superlatives are used in books, articles, and conversations. This will help reinforce the correct usage in your mind.
Historical Context of Double Superlatives
Interestingly, double superlatives were not always considered incorrect. In older forms of English, such as Middle English, double superlatives were sometimes used for emphasis. For example, in Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales,” you might find phrases like “the most unkindest cut of all.”
However, as the English language evolved, the rules became more standardized, and double superlatives fell out of favor. Today, they are considered grammatically incorrect in standard English.
Double Comparatives
While we’re on the topic of double superlatives, it’s worth mentioning their close cousin: double comparatives. Double comparatives occur when two comparative forms are used to describe the same quality. Comparatives are used to compare two items, and they are typically formed by adding the suffix “-er” to an adjective or by using the word “more” before the adjective. For example:
– Incorrect: “This book is more better than the other one.”
– Correct: “This book is better than the other one.”
Just like with double superlatives, double comparatives are grammatically incorrect and should be avoided.
Superlatives in Different Languages
Understanding how superlatives work in other languages can provide additional insight and help reinforce the correct usage in English. Let’s take a brief look at how superlatives are formed in a few other languages:
Spanish
In Spanish, superlatives are often formed by adding the suffix “-ísimo” to an adjective. For example:
– “Alto” (tall) becomes “altísimo” (tallest).
– “Rápido” (fast) becomes “rapidísimo” (fastest).
Alternatively, you can use the word “más” (most) before the adjective. For example:
– “Más hermoso” (most beautiful).
French
In French, superlatives are formed by using the definite article “le,” “la,” or “les” (the) before the comparative form of the adjective. For example:
– “Grand” (big) becomes “le plus grand” (the biggest).
– “Rapide” (fast) becomes “le plus rapide” (the fastest).
German
In German, superlatives are formed by adding the suffix “-ste” or “-sten” to an adjective. For example:
– “Hoch” (high) becomes “höchste” (highest).
– “Schnell” (fast) becomes “schnellste” (fastest).
Studying how superlatives are formed in other languages can help reinforce the concept and make it easier to avoid mistakes in English.
Practice Exercises
To help solidify your understanding of superlatives and avoid double superlatives, here are some practice exercises:
Exercise 1: Identify the Error
Identify and correct the double superlatives in the following sentences:
1. “This is the most brightest star in the sky.”
2. “She is the most smartest student in the class.”
3. “He is the most strongest player on the team.”
Exercise 2: Form the Superlative
Form the correct superlative form of the following adjectives:
1. Tall
2. Happy
3. Fast
4. Beautiful
Exercise 3: Sentence Construction
Construct sentences using the correct superlative form of the following adjectives:
1. Big
2. Small
3. Slow
4. Sad
Conclusion
Mastering the use of superlatives is an essential part of becoming proficient in English. By understanding what double superlatives are and how to avoid them, you can make your speech and writing more precise and grammatically correct. Remember to use only one superlative form, either the “-est” suffix or the word “most,” and practice regularly to reinforce the rules.
Language learning is a journey, and paying attention to details like superlatives can significantly enhance your proficiency. Keep practicing, stay curious, and you’ll continue to improve your English skills. Happy learning!
