TSA CBT Practice Test

Which word form is added to superlative adjectives/adverbs?

1. -est

2. -er

3. -ing

4. -ed

The correct answer is: -est

The correct choice is indeed the addition of "-est" to form superlative adjectives and adverbs. Superlatives express the highest degree of a quality among three or more subjects or items. For example, in the case of the adjective "big," the superlative form is "biggest," indicating that something is larger than all others in the comparison. This form is essential for clearly expressing extremes in quality, making it a foundational rule in English grammar. In contrast, the addition of "-er" is typically for comparative forms, used when comparing two items, such as "taller" to compare two heights. The suffix "-ing" is used to form present participles, which describe an ongoing action, while "-ed" is often used to form past participles, expressing completed actions or states. Thus, these forms have different grammatical functions that do not pertain to the expression of the superlative.