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SINGLE AND DOUBLE C ONSONANT W ORD S

Double consonants and suffixes
Consonants that come at the end of a word are often
doubled when a suffix is added. This mostly applies to • Consonants are doubled when adding a prefix or
verbs. For example, the final consonant of the verb sit is another word that ends with the same letter as the first
doubled after adding the suffix -ing, which results in the letter of the root. For example, the prefix mis- and root
word sitting. spell combine to make misspell.

▷ Rule 1
When adding a suffix that begins
with a vowel, such as -er, to a verb
that has one syllable and ends with run -er runner
a short vowel sound and a consonant,
the final consonant is often doubled.

The syllable run has Add a suffix The consonant
a short vowel sound and that begins n is doubled.
ends with a consonant. with a vowel.

▷ Rule 2
When adding a suffix that begins
with a vowel, such as -ing, to a verb
with more than one syllable, which begin -ing beginning
ends with a short vowel sound and
a consonant, the final consonant
is usually doubled.
The second syllable, gin, Add a suffix The consonant
ends with a short vowel that begins n is doubled.
sound and a consonant. with a vowel.

▷ Rule 3
When adding a suffix that begins
with e, i, or y to a verb that ends
in c, the final consonant is not panic -y panicky
doubled. Instead, the letter k is
added after c in order to keep
the hard “c” sound.
The word Add this The letter k is added
ends with suffix. to the end of the word,
the letter c. so it keeps the hard
“c” sound.

GLO S S A RY
In English, bookkeeper and
Consonant A letter of the alphabet that is not a vowel. bookkeeping are the only words
Prefix A group of letters attached to the start of a word
that can change the original word’s meaning. with three consecutive double letters.
Suffix A group of letters attached to the end of a word
that can change the original word’s meaning.
Syllable A unit of pronunciation that has one vowel sound.
Vowel One of the five letters a, e, i, o, and u.