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
prefer preferring preferred
forget forgetting
begin beginning beginner
DO NOT DOUBLE
offer offering offered
market marketing marketed marketer
listen 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
equip 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
large larger largest
hope hoping hoped
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NOTE: IF YOU DROP A FINAL E, DONT 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
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. DO NOT CHANGE y if you add ing!!!
study studying
carry carrying
try trying
Spelling Rules Rick Shur Page 1 of 2
[eslprof.com/handouts/info/spelrule.doc]