Adding suffixes: doubling, dropping e, y to i

Most endings just join on: ⟦jump + ing = jumping⟧. Three spelling rules change the root word when the ending starts with a vowel (⟦-ing⟧, ⟦-ed⟧, ⟦-er⟧, ⟦-est⟧): double the last letter, drop the ⟦e⟧, or change ⟦y⟧ to ⟦i⟧. Learn the three rules and you can spell thousands of words.

Key facts

  • Doubling: a short word with one short vowel and one consonant at the end doubles it: ⟦run → running⟧, ⟦stop → stopped⟧, ⟦big → bigger⟧.
  • Dropping ⟦e⟧: a word ending in ⟦e⟧ drops it before a vowel: ⟦hope → hoping⟧, ⟦make → making⟧, ⟦nice → nicer⟧; with ⟦-ed⟧ just add ⟦-d⟧: ⟦hoped⟧.
  • Keep the ⟦e⟧ when the ending starts with a consonant: ⟦hopeful⟧, ⟦careful⟧, ⟦lovely⟧, ⟦movement⟧.
  • ⟦y⟧ to ⟦i⟧: a consonant then ⟦y⟧ changes to ⟦i⟧: ⟦happy → happier, happiness⟧, ⟦carry → carried⟧.
  • Keep the ⟦y⟧ before ⟦-ing⟧ (⟦crying⟧, ⟦carrying⟧) and after a vowel (⟦play → played⟧, ⟦enjoy → enjoyment⟧).
  • British English doubles a final ⟦l⟧ (⟦travelling⟧, ⟦cancelled⟧); American English does not (⟦traveling⟧, ⟦canceled⟧).

Worked examples

Example 1

Add ⟦-ing⟧ to ⟦swim⟧.

  1. ⟦swim⟧ has one short vowel (⟦i⟧) and ends in one consonant (⟦m⟧).
  2. ⟦-ing⟧ starts with a vowel, so double the ⟦m⟧.
  3. ⟦swimming⟧

Answer: ⟦swimming⟧

Example 2

Add ⟦-ing⟧ to ⟦smile⟧.

  1. ⟦smile⟧ ends in ⟦e⟧ and ⟦-ing⟧ starts with a vowel.
  2. Drop the ⟦e⟧: ⟦smiling⟧.

Answer: ⟦smiling⟧

Example 3

Add ⟦-er⟧ to ⟦happy⟧.

  1. ⟦happy⟧ ends in a consonant then ⟦y⟧.
  2. Change ⟦y⟧ to ⟦i⟧ and add ⟦-er⟧: ⟦happier⟧.

Answer: ⟦happier⟧

Example 4

Add ⟦-ed⟧ and ⟦-ing⟧ to ⟦cry⟧.

  1. With ⟦-ed⟧ the ⟦y⟧ changes to ⟦i⟧: ⟦cried⟧.
  2. With ⟦-ing⟧ the ⟦y⟧ stays (no ⟦ii⟧): ⟦crying⟧.

Answer: ⟦cried⟧, ⟦crying⟧