The most useful is probably the vowel + consonant rule (for one-syllable words.)
If a word ends in a single short vowel, followed by a consonant, the consonant is doubled when a suffix (ending) is added:
This doesn't happen if you have two vowels:
or a final "e" after the consonant:
There are some letters which are never doubled, no matter how the word is spelt. These are:
However, this only applies to one-syllable words. With longer words, the best way is to think about how the word is pronounced; mostly, you double the letter where the word is stressed.
For instance:
but
There are many exceptions to this rule ( the main one is "l", which in UK English is always doubled in a prefix, as in "quarrelled"), but it generally works.
If a word ends in a single short vowel, followed by a consonant, the consonant is doubled when a suffix (ending) is added:
- shop – shopping
- fit – fitter
- plan – planned
This doesn't happen if you have two vowels:
- leap – leaping
- plain – plainer
or a final "e" after the consonant:
- hope – hoped
- line – lining
There are some letters which are never doubled, no matter how the word is spelt. These are:
- "v" (except in "revving" which isn't a real word)
- "w"
- "x"
- "y".
- "K" is possible but very rare ("trekking.")
However, this only applies to one-syllable words. With longer words, the best way is to think about how the word is pronounced; mostly, you double the letter where the word is stressed.
For instance:
- OFFering
- HAPPening
but
- begINNing
- preferring
There are many exceptions to this rule ( the main one is "l", which in UK English is always doubled in a prefix, as in "quarrelled"), but it generally works.
