Spelling Rules

Basic · Word Formation

English spelling has a reputation for being irregular, but a handful of reliable rules will fix the most common mistakes, especially when adding endings like -ing, -ed, and -s.

Learn these four patterns and your written English will look far more polished.

Rules & examples

1. Double the final consonant before -ing/-ed in short, stressed CVC verbs.

   CVC = consonant-vowel-consonant, with stress on that syllable.

   • stop → stopping/stopped
   • plan → planning/planned
   • begin → beginning
2. Drop a silent -e before a vowel suffix.

   The final "e" disappears before -ing, -ed, -er.

   • make → making
   • use → using
   • hope → hoping
3. Consonant + y → -ies / -ied.

   Change the y to i before adding the ending.

   • study → studies/studied
   • try → tries/tried
   • happy → happier
4. "i before e except after c" (with some exceptions).

   A famous rhyme that works most of the time.

   • believe, friend — but receive, ceiling

Tips to remember

• Do NOT double the consonant if the stress is not on the last syllable: "visit → visiting" (not "visitting").
• Keep the -e before a consonant suffix: "hope → hopeful", "care → careful".

Common mistakes

• ✗ He is runing. → ✓ He is running. — Double the final consonant in short stressed CVC verbs before -ing.