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Superlative Adjectives

HigherHigher tier onlyAQA

Master Superlative Adjectives for GCSE French with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Higher tier exam-style practice with worked answers for AQA GCSE French (8652). Superlatives use le, la or les with plus or moins to mean the most or the least.

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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA specification. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.

This is a Higher tier only topic, so there's no Foundation paper — only the Higher worksheet and mark scheme below.

Higher

WorksheetHigher · PDFMark SchemeHigher · PDF

Topic overview

Superlatives say the most or the least, and French forms them by adding a definite article to the comparative. This is a Higher-only topic.

Le plus grand means the tallest, la plus grande for a feminine noun, les plus grands for plural. The article must agree with the noun, and so must the adjective.

When the adjective normally follows its noun, the article is repeated: la voiture la plus rapide. This double article looks wrong to English speakers but is correct. When the adjective goes before, only one article is needed: le plus grand garçon. To say in after a superlative, French uses de: le plus grand de la classe means the tallest in the class.

Revision notes

Forming the superlative

Add a definite article to the comparative.

Le plus grand, la plus grande, les plus grands, les plus grandes. Both the article and the adjective agree with the noun.

The repeated article

When the adjective follows its noun, the article appears twice.

La voiture la plus rapide — the fastest car. This looks odd but is correct. When the adjective goes before, only one article is used: le plus grand garçon.

Saying in

French uses de, not dans, after a superlative.

Le plus grand de la classe — the tallest in the class. Le meilleur du monde — the best in the world. Using dans here is a straightforward error.

Key points

  • Superlatives add an article to the comparative.
  • Le plus grand means the tallest.
  • Both article and adjective agree.
  • The article repeats when the adjective follows.
  • Only one article is used when it precedes.
  • De is used to say in after a superlative.

Worked examples

Example 1

Translate: the tallest boy. [2 marks]

Working

le plus grand garçonuse one article since grand precedes the noun
BAGS adjectives go before, so only one article is neededexplain the single article

Example 2

Translate: the fastest car. [2 marks]

Working

la voiture la plus rapiderepeat the article since rapide follows the noun
The article appears twice when the adjective follows its nounexplain the repetition

Example 3

Translate: the tallest in the class. [2 marks]

Working

le plus grand de la classeuse de rather than dans
French uses de after a superlative to mean inexplain the preposition

Common mistakes

  • Using dans after a superlative.

    French uses de: le meilleur du monde.

  • Omitting the repeated article.

    La voiture la plus rapide needs both.

  • Repeating the article with a BAGS adjective.

    Le plus grand garçon needs only one.

  • Forgetting the agreement.

    Both article and adjective agree with the noun.

Exam tips

  • Check whether the adjective precedes or follows.
  • Repeat the article when the adjective follows.
  • Use de to say in.
  • Remember this is a Higher-only topic.

Key terms

Superlative
A structure meaning the most or the least.
Repeated article
The double article used when the adjective follows.
De
The preposition meaning in after a superlative.
Agreement
Matching both article and adjective to the noun.

Related topics

Written and reviewed against the current AQA specification. Spotted an error? Let us know.