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KS4 · German · Year 10

In der Schule: superlative adjectives and adverbs

Studying and my future: Das Schulleben

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Your learning goal

I can form and use superlative adjectives and adverbs when discussing topics in a school context.

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In der Schule: superlative adjectives and adverbs: slides adapted from the imported teaching text; recall questions created from its keywords, learning points and common mistakes. Self-check practice, with no automatic grading or XP. Answers stay on this page and are cleared when you leave.

Original teaching resources

The original illustrated PowerPoint is available as well as the IllumED text slides. It retains the publisher’s design and credits.

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What you’ll learn

I can form and use superlative adjectives and adverbs when discussing topics in a school context.

Key learning points

  • Use the superlative to express the highest degree of something, e.g., 'the most'.
  • To form the superlative use ‘am’ before the adjective/adverb, and then add ‘-sten’.
  • Prenominal superlative adjectives use the definite article then add '-st' plus the appropriate ending to the adjective.
  • Some superlatives are irregular.
  • Superlatives can be used to develop writing.

Words to know

superlative
a form of adjective or adverb used to express the highest degree of a quality, e.g., 'the tallest', 'the most interesting'
prenominal adjective
an adjective that appears before the noun it modifies

Common mistakes

Many English superlatives use 'most', so you need to use 'meist' in German.

German superlatives use 'am -sten'. 'Most interesting' ist 'am interessantesten', and 'most difficult' is 'am schwierigsten'. No additional German word is required for 'most'.

For parents, carers and teachers
  • Superlatives are Higher-tier grammar. However, all pupils will gain substantial communicative value from adding the most common prenominal superlatives to their repertoire, e.g., 'der, die, das beste/schlimmste ...'. Some pupils will then develop their use of superlatives with a range of adjectives.
IllumED Slides adapts “In der Schule: superlative adjectives and adverbs”, German, by Oak National Academy ↗. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Slides and recall practice adapted by IlluminatED; no publisher endorsement. Restricted lessons have listing information only.