Adding suffixes: doubling, dropping e, y to i · Grade 4
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).