Spelling Rule: Doubling Consonants
Double final consonant before -ing/-ed in short words.
Examples
- run → running
Key rules
- Double the final consonant in short one-syllable words with one vowel before adding -ing or -ed: run → running
- Do not double when the word ends in two consonants or when the stress is not on the last syllable
- Words ending in -y or -w are not doubled
Common mistakes
- runing → running
- stoped → stopped
- visitting → visiting (visit is stressed on the first syllable)
Use cases
- Spelling verb forms
- Writing past tense correctly
- Proofreading
💡 Tip: Look at the stress and the single vowel: if both are true, double the consonant.