Words ending in -ing

We often use verbs that end in –ing.

She is studying in the library.

The smiling boy waved at me.
Spelling –ing words is easy.
 The Rules
It’s easy to spell words ending in
-ing correctly. You can learn to do it
in just a few minutes! There are only 4
simple rules:
1. + ing
2. -e + ing
3. ie  y + ing
4. x2 + ing
 + ing
For most verbs, just add –ing.

work  working
brush  brushing
ask  asking
 -e + ing
If the base form of the verb ends in a
single e, delete the e and add ing.

smile  smiling
live  living
dance  dancing
 ie  y + ing
If the base form of the verb ends
with ie, change the ie to y
and add -ing.

die  dying
tie  tying
 x2 + ing
If
1) the last 3 letters of the base form of the
verb are consonant-vowel-consonant and
2) the stress is on the final (or only) syllable,
double the final consonant and add –ing.

stop  stopping
plan  planning
 x2 + ing (continued)

admit  admitting prefer 

preferring

Compare when the stress is NOT on the final

syllable:
listen  listening

The final –l is always doubled in British English,

but not in American English:
travel  travelling (British)
travel  traveling (American)
 x2 + ing (continued)

Do not double the final consonants

-x, -w, or –y.
fix  fixing
snow  snowing
stay  staying
 Which rule?

walk

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

 Which rule?

walk

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

walking
 Which rule?

love

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

 Which rule?

love

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

loving
 Which rule?

lie

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

 Which rule?

lie

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

lying
 Which rule?

hop

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

 Which rule?

hop

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

hopping
 Which rule?

hope

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

 Which rule?

hope

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

hoping
 Which rule?

play

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

 Which rule?

play

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

playing
 Which rule?

end

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

 Which rule?

end

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

ending
 Which rule?

look

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

 Which rule?

look

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

looking
 Which rule?

repeat

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

 Which rule?

repeat

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

repeating
 Which rule?

control

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

 Which rule?

control

+ing -e + ing iey+ing x2+ing

controlling
What are the 4 rules?

1. + ing
What are the 4 rules?

1. + ing

2. -e + ing
What are the 4 rules?

1. + ing

2. -e + ing

3. ie  y + ing
What are the 4 rules?

1. + ing

2. -e + ing

3. ie  y + ing

4. x2 + ing