Spelling Rules Page 1 of 2

1. Double the last letter of a word before adding ing, ed, er or est

a. if the last three letters are consonant-vowel-consonant (C-V-C)

DOUBLE
run running runner
big bigger biggest
step stepping stepped stepper
bus bussing bussed

DO NOT DOUBLE
eat eating eater
fast faster fastest
kick kicking kicked kicker

b. if the stress (accent) is on the last syllable

DOUBLE
pre fer preferring preferred
for get forgetting
be gin beginning beginner

DO NOT DOUBLE
of fer offering offered
mar ket marketing marketed marketer
lis ten listening listened listener

c. never double w, x or y

show showing showed shower

fix fixing fixed fixer
play playing played player

d. treat the qu combination like one consonant

quit quitting quitter

e quip equipping equipped

2. Drop the final e of a word before adding ing, ed, er or est

love loving loved lover

write writing writer
hide hiding hider
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large larger largest

hope hoping hoped
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NOTE: IF YOU DROP A FINAL E, NEVER DOUBLE ANYTHING!!!
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2. (cont ) Drop the final e EXCEPTIONS

EXCEPTIONS: DO NOT DROP final e for these ing forms

see seeing
canoe canoeing
be being
dye dyeing (to dye means to color hair or clothes)

MORE EXCEPTIONS: Here are three special ing forms

To make the ing form for lie, die, and lie, CHANGE IE TO Y!

lie lying
die dying (to die means to stop living)
tie tying

3. Change y to i before adding MOST endings

a. CHANGE y if there is a consonant before y

dry drier dries dried

happy happier happiness happily
city cities citification
study studies studied
carry carries carried carrier

b. DO NOT CHANGE y if there is a vowel before y

toy toys
play playing played player
buy buying buys buyer
monkey monkeying monkeyed monkeys

c. Another exception (even if there is a consonant before y):

NEVER CHANGE y when you add ing!!!

study studying
carry carrying
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try trying
party partying
ferry ferrying