-
1. Only some letters are doubled: b, d, g, l, m, n, p, r, t.
- 2. We double the final consonant of a word before we add
- -ed, -er, -est, -ing, -able and -y
- to show that the vowel has a short sound.
2a. With a one-syllable word:
If the word ends with a Consonant + Vowel + Consonant, double the final consonant.
-
This called the C-V-C rule.
- hat – hatter
- big – biggest
- mum – mummy
- run – running, runny
- gut – gutted
Examples:
2b. With multi-syllable words:
- Double the final letter when the final syllable is stressed in speech.
- begin – beginning
- prefer – preferring, preferred
- transfer – transferred
- 3. If the final syllable is not stressed, we do not double the final letter.
- listen – listening, listened
- happen – happening, happened
Examples:
NB: In British English, cancel and travel are exceptions to this rule: (travelled, cancelled, cancelling are correct)
Examples:
Vowels: a, e, i, o, u
Consonents: all other letters
