DOUBLE CONSONANTS

English vowels can be pronounced differently, having both short and long sounds:

Fat (short)
Fate (long)
Equate (short)
Equal (long)
Dinner (short)
Diner (long)
Hop (short)
Hope (long)
But (short)
Butane (long)
We double the final consonant of a word before we add -ed, -er, -est, -ing, -able and -y to show
that the vowel has a short sound.

But how do you know when to double the consonant and when not to? There are a number of
things to consider.

Firstly, we only double a consonant if it comes at the end of at word.

Slop - slopped - slopping BUT slope - sloped - sloping

Secondly, we only double a consonant if a word ends in one vowel followed by one consonant.

Dig - digging
Shut - shutting
BUT

Fool - fooled - fooling

Bend - bending
Thirdly, we need to consider words that end in one vowel followed by one consonant, but contain
two syllables. We only double the consonant in these words if the last syllable is stressed:

Last syllable stressed

Deter - deterred - deterring

Unplug - unplugged - unplugging
Last syllable unstressed

Happen - happened - happening

Gather - gathered - gathering
Note: in two syllable words ending in one vowel followed by one "l", the "l" is doubled even if the
last syllable is unstressed:

Travel - travelled - travelling

Fourthly, only some letters are doubled.

B - rob - robbed - robbing

D - bid - bidded - bidding
G - dig - digging
L - travel - travelled - travelling
M - swim - swimming
N - plan - planned - planning
P - shop - shopped - shopping
R - deter - deterred - deterring
T - bet - betted - betting
 Double Consonants

Why do some words have double consonants while others have

only one?
Here are some basic rules for spelling -ED and -ING words:

Rule 1:  Words ending with a Consonant-Vowel-Consonant 

Pattern
                                       (Review Consonants and Vowels)
One-syllable words:
ED =  If the word ends in a CVC pattern, it gets a double
consonant + ED.     * note
ING =  If the word ends in a CVC pattern, it gets a double
consonant + ING. * note
Examples:
 ED =   RUB > rubbed, STOP > stopped
 ING = HOP > hopping,  SIT > sitting
*note: Words ending in w,x,y,z do not follow this rule, simply add ED,
Examples: snow > snowed, box > boxing, play > playing
Two-syllable words:
ED =  If the stress is on the first syllable, the word only gets one
consonant + ED.
ING = If the stress is on the first syllable, the word only gets one
consonant + ING.

Examples:
 visit > visited, open > opened
 happen > happening,  enter > entering
ED =  If the stress is on the second syllable, the word gets a
double consonant + ED.
ING = If the stress is on the second syllable, the word gets a
double consonant  + ING.
Examples:
 refer > referred,     admit > admitted
 begin > beginning, permit > permitting

Consonants = b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z
Vowels = a, e, i, o, u 
                           Practice two-syllable ed-ing endings...
Rule 2: Words ending in E
ED =  If the word ends in E, simply add D
ING =  If the word ends in E, drop the E, add ING

Examples:
 ED =   smile > smiled, fine > fined
 ING = dance > dancing, skate > skating

Rule 3:  Words ending in Y

Consonant + Y

ED =  If the word ends in Y, and has a consonant before it,

change the Y to I and add ED.
ING =  If the word ends in Y, and has a consonant before it,
simply add ING.

Examples:
 ED =   study > studied, marry > married
 ING = carry > carrying, reply > replying
Vowel + Y

ED =  If the word ends in Y, and has a vowel before it, simply add
ED.
ING =  If the word ends in Y, and has a vowel before it, simply
add ING.

Examples:
 ED =   play > played, stay > stayed
 ING = enjoy > enjoying, stray > straying

Rule 4:  Other words...

words ending in two vowels + a consonant
ED =  If the word ends in two vowels + a consonant, simply add
ED.
ING =  If the word ends in two vowels + a consonant, simply add
ING.
 

Examples:
 ED =   dream > dreamed, rain > rained
 ING = need > needing, beep > beeping
words ending in a double consonant:
ED =  If the word ends in a double consonant, simply add ED.
ING =  If the word ends in a double consonant, simply add ING.
Examples:
 ED =   park > parked, earn > earned
 ING = need > needing, laugh > laughing