Superlative adverbs describe how an action is done to the highest or lowest degree compared with others. They answer questions like how, how much, or how often, and they compare three or more actions, people, or situations. They often appear with “the,” especially when the superlative is clearly comparing within a group.

A superlative adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb by showing an extreme degree of manner, frequency, or intensity. Use it when you want to say one action stands out as the most strongly performed: fastest, most carefully, least often. The comparison is about performance of an action, not about the person or thing itself.

English forms superlative adverbs in two main ways: with “-est” or with “most” and “least.” Short adverbs that look like adjectives often take “-est,” while many “-ly” adverbs use “most” and “least.” Some common adverbs have irregular superlatives that must be memorized.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use -est with many short adverbs	🔹 对许多短副词使用“-est”	She arrived earliest.	🔹 她最先到达。
Use most or least with many -ly adverbs	🔹 对许多以-ly 结尾的副词使用 most 或 least	He explained it most clearly.	🔹 他解释得最清楚。
Some adverbs are irregular	🔹 有些副词是不规则的	She sings best.	🔹 她唱得最好。
Least forms the low extreme	🔹 least 构成最低极端	He worried least.	🔹 他担心得最少。

Superlative adverbs often include “the,” especially in careful or formal writing, because the speaker is identifying the top position in a group. In everyday speech, “the” is sometimes dropped, particularly after a verb. Whether you include “the” or not, the meaning is usually clear from context and the comparison set.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use the when the superlative clearly ranks within a group	🔹 当最高级在群组内清楚地排名时使用“the”	Of all the runners, she finished the fastest.	🔹 在所有跑者中她跑得最快。
The is often optional after a verb in informal style	🔹 在非正式风格中，动词后的“the”通常是可选的	She finished fastest.	🔹 她跑得最快。
Keep the when the phrase is longer or more formal	🔹 当短语较长或更正式时保留“the”	He responded the most politely during the meeting.	🔹 他在会议期间最有礼貌地回应了。

Some adverbs form the superlative by adding “-est,” especially when the adverb is short and does not end in “-ly.” This is common with adverbs that share the same form as adjectives, like fast, hard, and early. Spelling rules generally follow adjective patterns, but the key idea is that “-est” marks the highest degree.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
fastest	🔹 fastest	in the quickest way	🔹 以最快的方式	She typed fastest in the group.	🔹 她在小组中打字最快。
earliest	🔹 earliest	at the earliest time	🔹 在最早的时间	He woke up earliest today.	🔹 他今天起床最早。
hardest	🔹 hardest	with the most effort	🔹 投入最多努力	She worked hardest before the exam.	🔹 她在考试前最努力地工作。
latest	🔹 latest	at the most recent time	🔹 在最近的时间	They arrived latest of all.	🔹 他们是所有人中到达最晚的。

Many adverbs form the superlative with “most,” especially adverbs ending in “-ly” such as carefully, clearly, and quickly. This construction is also common when “-est” sounds unnatural or unclear. Place “most” directly before the adverb and keep the adverb form unchanged.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
most carefully	🔹 most carefully	in the most careful way	🔹 以最小心的方式	He handled the glass most carefully.	🔹 他处理玻璃时最小心。
most clearly	🔹 most clearly	in the clearest way	🔹 以最清晰的方式	She spoke most clearly at the end.	🔹 她在结束时说话最清楚。
most quickly	🔹 most quickly	in the quickest manner	🔹 以最快的方式	They responded most quickly to the alert.	🔹 他们对警报的回应最快。
most politely	🔹 most politely	in the most polite way	🔹 以最有礼貌的方式	He refused most politely.	🔹 他最有礼貌地拒绝了。

Use “least” to express the lowest degree: the action is done less than all others in the comparison group. It works with both “-ly” adverbs and many other adverbs when you want to emphasize minimal frequency, effort, or intensity. “Least” usually comes before the adverb, and “the” is often used in more formal contexts.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
least carefully	🔹 least carefully	in the least careful way	🔹 以最不小心的方式	He checked the details least carefully.	🔹 他最不小心地检查了细节。
least often	🔹 least often	with the lowest frequency	🔹 频率最低	She travels least often in winter.	🔹 她冬天最不常出行。
least clearly	🔹 least clearly	in the least clear way	🔹 以最不清楚的方式	The instructions were explained least clearly.	🔹 指示被解释得最不清楚。
least willingly	🔹 least willingly	with the least willingness	🔹 最不情愿地	He apologized least willingly.	🔹 他最不愿意地道歉。

A few very common adverbs have irregular superlatives that do not follow “-est” or “most.” These forms are frequent in everyday English and are important for natural speech and writing. Learn them as fixed forms and use them in the same places you would use any other superlative adverb.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
best	🔹 best	in the best way	🔹 以最佳方式	She performed best under pressure.	🔹 在压力下她表现最好。
worst	🔹 worst	in the worst way	🔹 以最差的方式	He handled it worst of all.	🔹 他处理得最糟糕。
most	🔹 most	to the greatest degree	🔹 达到最大的程度	I admire her most.	🔹 我最钦佩她。
least	🔹 least	to the smallest degree	🔹 达到最小的程度	I agreed least.	🔹 我最少同意。

Superlative adverbs can appear in several positions, depending on what they modify and what sounds natural. They often come after the main verb, after the object, or before a verb phrase when emphasis is needed. Keep the superlative close to the verb or phrase it modifies so the comparison is clear.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Put it after the verb for a direct manner meaning	🔹 将其放在动词之后以表达直接的语气	She ran fastest.	🔹 她跑得最快。
Place it after the object when it describes how the object is handled	🔹 当描述对象的处理方式时，将其放在对象之后	He solved the problem most efficiently.	🔹 他以最高效的方式解决了问题。
Place it before the verb phrase for emphasis in some styles	🔹 在某些风格中，为强调而将其放在动词短语之前	She most carefully avoided mistakes.	🔹 她最小心地避免了错误。

Superlative adverbs require an understood comparison set: the group of actions, people, times, or situations being ranked. The set can be stated with phrases like “of all,” “in the class,” or “in my family,” or it can be clear from context. If the comparison group is not clear, add a phrase that defines it to avoid confusion.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
State the comparison group when needed	🔹 需要时说明比较组	Of all the applicants, she answered most confidently.	🔹 在所有申请者中，她回答最有自信。
Use in or among to define the group	🔹 使用 in 或 among 来定义组别	He arrived earliest in the team.	🔹 他在队内最早到达。
Context can supply the group in conversation	🔹 上下文也可在对话中提供组别	I like this one most.	🔹 我最喜欢这个。