Spelling - Consonant doubling 2: Activity
Sort the examples into two groups
DOUBLE
DON'T DOUBLE
offer + -ing → offering
transmit + -er → transmitter
open + -ing → opening
visit + -or → visitor
forget + -able → forgettable
ballot + -ed → balloted
occur + -ing → occurring
profit + -able → profitable
begin + -ing → beginning
commit + -ed → committed
occur + -ence → occurrence
Answers
- DOUBLE GROUP: transmit + -er → transmitter, forget + -able → forgettable, occur + -ing → occurring, begin + -ing → beginning, commit + -ed → committed, occur + -ence → occurrence
- DON'T DOUBLE GROUP: offer + -ing → offering, open + -ing → opening, visit + -or → visitor, ballot + -ed → balloted, profit + -able → profitable
When does the final consonant double and when does it not double?
Hint: Think about the stress patterns of the base word in each example (which syllable in the word is the strongest).
- If stress is on the final syllable of the base word: DOUBLE.
- If stress is not on the final syllable of the base word: DON’T DOUBLE.
Here are some examples. The symbol ' marks the following syllable as stressed (e.g. for'get indicates forGET):
- for'get, forgetting, forgettable
- 'offer, offering, offered
