Grammar

Doubling consonantsEnglish vowels can be pronounced differently, having both short and long sounds:

Fat (short) Fate (long) Equate (short) Equal (long) Dinner (short) Diner (long)

Hop (short) Hope (long) But (short) Butane (long)

We double the final consonant before we add -ed, -er, -est, -ing, -able and -y to show that the vowel has a short sound.

How do you know when to double the consonant and when not to? Here are some basic rules for spelling.

1st - we only double a consonant if it comes at the end of at word.

Slop - slopped - slopping BUT slope - sloped - sloping

2nd - we only double a consonant if a word ends in one vowel followed by one consonant.

Dig - digging Shut - shutting

BUT

Fool - fooled - fooling Bend - bending

3rd - we need to consider words that end in one vowel followed by one consonant, but contain two syllables. We only double the consonant in these words if the last syllable is stressed:

Last syllable stressed Deter - deterred - deterring

Unplug - unplugged - unplugging

Last syllable unstressed Happen - happened - happening

Gather - gathered - gathering

Note: in two syllable words ending in one vowel followed by one "l", the "l" is doubled even if the last syllable is unstressed:

Travel - travelled - travelling

And finally........

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4th - only some letters are doubled.

B - rob - robbed - robbing D - bid - bidded - bidding

G - dig - digging L - travel - travelled - travelling

M - swim - swimming N - plan - planned - planning

P - shop - shopped - shopping R - deter - deterred - deterring

T - bet - betted - betting

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Rule 1: Words ending with a Consonant-Vowel-Consonant Pattern

One-syllable words: ED =If the word ends in a CVC pattern, it gets a double consonant + ED.     * note ING =If the word ends in a CVC pattern, it gets a double consonant + ING. * note

Examples: ED =   RUB > rubbed, STOP > stopped ING = HOP > hopping,  SIT > sitting

*note: Words ending in w,x,y,z do not follow this rule, simply add ED, or ING Examples: snow > snowed, box > boxing, play > playing

Two-syllable words: ED =  If the stress is on the first syllable, the word only gets one consonant + ED. ING = If the stress is on the first syllable, the word only gets one consonant + ING.

Examples: vis it > visited, open > opened hap pen > happening,  enter > entering

ED =  If the stress is on the second syllable, the word gets a double consonant + ED. ING = If the stress is on the second syllable, the word gets a double consonant  + ING.

Examples: refer > referred,     admit > admitted begin > beginning, permit > permitting

Consonants = b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z Vowels = a, e, i, o, u 

                 

Rule 2: Words ending in E ED =  If the word ends in E, simply add D ING =  If the word ends in E, drop the E, add ING

Examples: ED =   smile > smiled, fine > fined ING = dance > dancing, skate > skating

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Rule 3:  Words ending in Y Consonant + Y

ED =  If the word ends in Y, and has a consonant before it, change the Y to I and add ED . ING =  If the word ends in Y, and has a consonant before it, simply add ING .

Examples: ED =   study > studied, marry > married ING = carry > carrying, reply > replying

Vowel + Y

ED =  If the word ends in Y, and has a vowel before it, simply add ED . ING =  If the word ends in Y, and has a vowel before it, simply add ING .

Examples: ED =   play > played, stay > stayed ING = enjoy > enjoying, stray > straying

Rule 4:  Other words... words ending in two vowels + a consonant ED =  If the word ends in two vowels + a consonant, simply add ED . ING =  If the word ends in two vowels + a consonant, simply add ING .  

Examples: ED =   dream > dreamed, rain > rained ING = need > needing, beep > beeping

words ending in a double consonant: ED =  If the word ends in a double consonant, simply add ED . ING =  If the word ends in a double consonant, simply add ING .

Examples: ED =   park > parked, earn > earned ING = need > needing, laugh > laughing

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Consonants - to double or not to double?

We learned about the helpful patterns, let's remind ourselves of it:If the base word has:

one syllableone short vowel (the short vowels are ham, bed, lip, rot, gun)one consonant at the end

you double the final consonant when you add a vowel suffix

Now make new words by adding suffixes to the following base words.

The first one has been done for you.

hot + est hottest fat + ish

grin + ed stop + ing

pot + er gun +ed

sun + y wrap + ing

spot + y step + ed

run + ing spot + ed

can + ed bat + ing

fit + ing net + ing

Here are some sentences. Cross out the incorrect word.

1. "What are you grining/grinning at?" said Nigel.

2. Sue took up joging/jogging to improve her fitness.

3. Ali took a jugful/juggful of orange juice into the garden.

4. We wraped/wrapped the gift in silver paper.

5. July was the hotest/hottest month of the year.

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Answers to Suffixhot + est hottest fat + ish fattish

grin + ed grinned stop + ing stopping

pot + er potter gun +ed gunned

sun + y sunny wrap + ing wrapping

spot + y spotty step + ed stepped

run + ing running spot + ed spotted

can + ed canned bat + ing batting

fit + ing Fitting net + ing netting

Here are the sentences. The incorrect words have been removed.

1. "What are you grinning at?" said Nigel.

2. Sue took up jogging to improve her fitness.

3. Ali took a jugful of orange juice into the garden.

4. We wrapped the gift in silver paper.

5. July was the hottest month of the year.

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