Double consonant words

Spelling Words with Double Consonants

by Yen Cabag | 4 comments

Many words that end with a consonant (a letter that isn’t a vowel) require that the ending consonant be doubled when you add a suffix to them.

These suffixes can include –ed to form the past tense, –ing to form the present progressive tense, or –er and –est to denote comparison. 

For example, “She slapped the mosquito.” 

The word “slapped” is pronounced as one syllable, “slapt,” but it’s spelled like it has two syllables. The same principle applies to the word “spelled” and many others.

However, not all consonants are doubled when we add these suffixes, so you need to learn the rules for spelling words with double consonants. 

Three-letter words that follow the Consonant – Vowel – Consonant (CVC) pattern always have their last consonant doubled when you add a suffix. For example: 

• sip – sipped – sipping
• cap – capped – capping 
• tap – tapped – tapping 
• pot – potted – potting 
• dip – dipped – dipping 
• sit – sitting 
• rob – robbing – robbed – robber 

This rule also includes four-letter words that begin with blended consonants, such as pl-, sl– sh-, cl-, and bl-, among others. For example:

• slip – slipped – slipping 
• drop – dropped – dropping 
• crop – cropped – cropping
• clip – clipped – clipping
• clop – clopped – clopping
• stop – stopped – stopping 
• grab – grabbed – grabbing 

DO double the last consonant in multi-syllable words that end in vowel-consonant (V-C) and a stressed syllable.  

For words with more than one syllable, the key to remember is whether the last syllable is stressed or not. If the stress falls on the last syllable, double the consonant; otherwise, keep it single. 

For example: 

begin – beginning 

The word “begin” is stressed in the last syllable; therefore you have to double the letter “n” before you add -ing. 

How about for the word “visit”? The stress falls on the first syllable. This means we do not double the letter “t,” and instead, we spell it as “visited” or “visiting.” 

Other examples include: 

Unstressed last syllable: 

• happen – happened – happening 
• listen – listened – listening
• moisten – moistened – moisening
• render – rendered – rendering 

Stressed last syllable: 

• compel – compelled – compelling 
• dispel – dispelled – dispelling 
• embed – embedded – embedding
• repel – repelled – repelling 
• admit – admitted – admitting

Despite this rule, though, you need to familiarize yourself with many words, because there are quite a few exceptions to this rule, such as the word “cancel. ”  Cancelled and canceled are both accepted (Americans prefer canceled, while most of the rest of the world prefers cancelled).

Based on this rule, the following words, since they end in two vowels and a consonant, do not require double consonants: 

• conceal – concealed
• reveal – revealed 
• unveil – unveiled 

In English, a vowel sound can be short or long. For example, for the letter “a,” the short sound occurs in the word “mat,” while the long “a” sound occurs in “mate.” 

Words with two syllables that feature a short vowel sound in the first syllable typically have a double consonant following it. This actually functions as a way to “protect” the short vowel sound. For example, the word “apple” contains two “p’s” and helps you determine that the word uses a short “a” sound. If it were spelled “aple,” it would be pronounced with a long “a” sound. 

Examples of words that follow this rule are: 

• matter
• batter
• butter
• bitter
• Polly 
• dinner
• cottage
• drizzle
• rubber
• muffin
• coffin

If a two-syllable word has a long vowel sound in the first syllable, we don’t double the middle consonant. For example:

• spider
• minor
• bugle
• tuba  

If a word ends in a consonant blend, such as –ng, –nk, –st, do not double the last consonant.  

For example: 

• link – linked – linking
• milk – milked – milking
• post – posted – posting
• jump – jumped – jumping
• form – formed – forming
• bond – bonded – bonding
• park – parked – parking 

Check your spelling skills with this free Spelling Words with Double Consonants PDF Quiz by circling the correct spelling of the words in brackets. 

1. Did you hear what [happenned / happened] during Ira’s birthday party? 
2. He quickly [formmed / formed] his opinion of Lady Margaret. 
3. The father and son [bonded / bondded] over ice cream. 
4. The [cotage / cottage] looks very inviting. 
5. The government [compeled / compelled] everyone to be listed in the national ID system. 
6. Weren’t you [listening / listenning]? 
7. The three-year-old painstakingly [arranged / aranged] his toys on the shelf. 
8. The young mother wanted her children to appreciate their [differences / diferences].  
9. She’s [ridden / riden] a horse before, hasn’t she? 
10. “The three little kittens, they lost their [mitens / mittens], and they began to cry.”
11. “[Rabbi / Rabi], did you call me?” he asked eagerly. 
12. “No, I don’t like spiders,” she said with a [shuder / shudder]. 
13. The quick brown fox [jumped / jumpped] over the lazy dog.
14. Do you like [aples / apples]? 
15. The [rabit / rabbit] nibbles on a carrot. 

1. Did you hear what happened during Ira’s birthday party? 
2. He quickly formed his opinion of Lady Margaret. 
3. The father and son bonded over ice cream. 
4. The cottage looks very inviting. 
5. The government compelled everyone to be listed in the national ID system. 
6. Weren’t you listening? 
7. The three-year-old painstakingly arranged his toys on the shelf.  
8. The young mother wanted her children to appreciate their differences. 
9. She’s ridden a horse before, hasn’t she? 
10. “The three little kittens, they lost their mittens, and they began to cry.”
11. “Rabbi, did you call me?” he asked eagerly. 
12. “No, I don’t like spiders,” she said with a shudder. 
13. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.
14. Do you like apples? 
15. The rabbit nibbles on a carrot.

Spelling rules are important to memorize if you want to avoid embarrassing mistakes. Another way to improve your spelling is to look for new words frequently and visualize them in your mind’s eye. 

If you haven’t done this before, take an unfamiliar word, look at it for some time, then close your eyes and try to visualize the word. Do this with as many words as you need, and you will soon find that you can almost instinctively tell when a spelling looks “off. ” 

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

• Open and Closed Compound Words: Common Examples and Rules for Spelling
• How to Study for a Spelling Test: 8 Tips for Better Results
• American vs. British Spelling: Orthography and Alternate Spellings of Common Words
• How to Spell Better Using the Secrets of Spelling Bee Winners

Yen Cabag

Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.

5 Fun Activities To Help Your Child Learn Double Consonant Words

Double consonant words can be difficult for kids to understand. As they’re learning, they’ll need a lot of practice to help them remember to add a second consonant when appropriate.

For example, there’s only one letter difference in the words “stared” and “starred,” but it’s an important letter. That extra “r” completely changes the meaning of the word. “Starred” is one of many double consonant words your child will learn to read and spell.

To help with this critical reading skill, we’ve put together a guide on double consonant words. In addition to information on when you need to add an extra letter, you’ll find five engaging activities to let your child learn through play.

What Are Double Consonant Words?

Before we dive into double consonant words, let’s briefly review what a consonant is.

The English language divides letters into two groups: consonants and vowels. There are 21 consonant letters — B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y, and Z.

Every other letter is a vowel — A, E, I, O U. (Well, sometimes Y is also a vowel, but we’ll get into that another time. )

Double consonant words have two consonant letters side by side.

One spelling rule states that you’ll double the final consonant in a one-syllable word only if the word ends in one vowel followed by one consonant and you are adding an ending that begins with a vowel, like “ing” or “ed.”

For example, “clap” is a one-syllable word with a short vowel followed by one consonant as the last letter. When you add a suffix that begins with a vowel, such as “ing,” you’ll need to double that last consonant to spell the word correctly. When you do, you get the word “clapping.”

You’d also add the double consonant if you wrote the word in the past tense, “clapped.” However, the term “claps” doesn’t need an extra “p.” That’s because the suffix “s” doesn’t start with a vowel.

With that review under our belt, let’s turn to when your child should be learning this skill.

When Do Kids Learn To Read And Spell Double Consonant Words?

The ability to read and spell double consonant words typically happens around third grade. By this time, most kids have a firm understanding of the relationship between letters and sounds.

They can also read and spell different one- and two-syllable words. They’ll need to start doubling letters as they begin to read and spell longer, more complex words.

Of course, every child is different. So don’t be surprised if your child is learning this skill a bit earlier or later.

Challenges Of Learning Double Consonant Words

Learning to read and spell double consonant words can be challenging for some kids. They often can’t hear the difference between a word with a single consonant and one with a double letter.

To them, the word “stopped” likely looks like “stoped.” We know you don’t pronounce the other “p” and say, “stop-ped.” But the only way they’ll be able to tell the difference is by looking at the word and learning how double consonants function.

Additionally, you don’t double the consonant with every suffix. So trying to keep track of it all can be tricky at first.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help your child overcome these challenges. Check out the tips below for some ideas.

Fun Double Consonant Activities

Before you can work with your child on double consonant words, you need a list of words that fit this rule.

Here are ten base words that require a second consonant when adding a suffix that starts with a vowel, such as “ed” and “ing.” You can use these words for the activities below.

1. Chop
2. Skid
3. Plop
4. Beg
5. Drum
6. Grin
7. Split
8. Bid
9. Fit
10. Grab

Now that you have some words to work with, let’s get into the fun!

1) Does It Need To Be Doubled?

This activity helps reinforce the rules for when words need a double consonant before adding a suffix.

What You’ll Need:

• A piece of paper
• A ruler or other straight edge
• A marker
• Small stickers
• A pencil

What To Do:

First, prepare the paper for your child. Use the ruler to divide the paper into five columns. The first four should all be the same size, and the final one should be bigger for your child to write in.

Across the top, add the following column headers:

• Base Word
• One-Syllable?
• Only One Vowel?
• Only One Ending Consonant?
• Write The Word

In the base word column, write some words from the list above. For practice, also mix in some words that don’t require a double consonant, such as:

• Jump
• Nail
• Listen

Give your child the stickers and have them read the first base word. Ask, “Is that a one-syllable word?” If it is, have them put a sticker in the corresponding column. If it’s not, ask them to leave it blank.

Continue with each of the following columns. Again, have them put a sticker in the column if the word fits the pattern. If not, they leave it blank.

Finally, ask your child to add a suffix where it’s needed. For example, if they put down three stickers in a row, they need to double the final consonant before adding the suffix, “ed. ”

Repeat the process with all of the base words in your chart.

The first few times you do this together, your child will likely need help, so go slowly and stop if it gets too overwhelming.

To make this a bit more fun, make a game out of it! Write five words that double and five that don’t all on individual cards. Roll the cards up so you cannot see the words and put them in a bag.

You pull out a word and fill in the chart above. If you get a double consonant word, you get a point. The first to get five points wins!

2) Double Driving

This active learning game gets your child moving around while they learn.

What You’ll Need:

• 10 Index cards
• A marker
• A toy car

What To Do:

Write a double consonant word on each index card to prepare for this game. Then, spread the cards around the room, word side up.

Hand your child a toy car. Ask them to drive around the room, picking up each word. Then, have them bring it back to you. When they hand you the card, ask them to read the word.

If they get it correct, put it in a pile. If your child misreads the word, put it back out into the room so they can try it again later in the game.

Continue sending your child out to find words until they’ve successfully read them all.

3) Shaving Cream Spelling

This spelling game is messy, but it’s sure fun!

What You’ll Need:

A can of shaving cream
A table your child can work on

What To Do:

Spray a wad of shaving cream on the table and ask your child to use their hand to spread it around. Then, give them a word that needs a double consonant and ask them to write it in the shaving cream.

If they get it correct, offer praise. If not, have your child “erase” it and try again. Continue giving them words to help reinforce the concept.

4) Find The Double Consonant Words

In this game, your child goes around the room looking for hidden double consonant words.

What You’ll Need:

Index cards with double consonant words written on them (tip: write the double consonants in different colors to set them apart)

What To Do:

Hide the index cards around the room and then ask them to search for them. Each time they find a word card, have them bring it over and read it to you.
After they’ve found each one, have them read through the cards once more for practice.

5) Roll The Word

Let your child use their senses and spell double consonant words with playdough.

What You’ll Need:

• Playdough
• A work surface

What To Do:

Say a word that has a double consonant before a suffix. Then, ask your child to spell it by shaping individual letters out of playdough. If they forget the double letter, ask them to look at the word again and see if they forgot anything.

Once the word is correct, have your child gather the dough together. Then, give them another one to try.

Double The Letters, Double The Fun!

The above activities can help your child become more confident in reading and writing double consonant words. With lots of practice, they’ll be less likely to struggle when they see these words in books or want to add them to a story they’re writing.

Don’t forget, every child learns at their own pace. So if your child isn’t ready for some activities, that’s OK. Just wait a bit and try again later. They’ll soon be a pro at double consonants!

In the meantime, help them keep their spelling skills sharp with the HOMER Learn & Grow app. With personalized lessons, they can practice their literacy skills at the pace they need.

Author

Double consonants. Double consonant words - Russian

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In Russian, words with double consonants in the root are found quite often in foreign words, as well as in some Russian words. Most often in Russian words, a doubled consonant occurs at the junction of a root and a suffix, as well as at the junction of a prefix and a root.

Double consonants in roots

Only double consonants are used in the roots of Russian words ss and lj . There are few such words.

The letters ss are written in the word quarrel and related words formed from it, for example: to ss to shout, to ss to shout ; and also in the words Ro ss iya (from the obsolete ross ), ro ss iya, Beloru ss iya (but Rus, Belarusian ).

Letters LJ are written in words in LiveJournal and, Dro LiveJournal and, Zhu LiveJournal AT, MO LiveJournal Ewella and related related words, for example: Zhi LiveJournal ANINIA, MO LJ Evalle . Letters LiveJournal are also written in words and forms formed from the verb to burn ( tourniquet ), for example: LiveJournal 111111111111111111111111111, LJ 1111111111111111111 fj em .

Double consonants at the junction of a prefix and a root

Double consonants in Russian words are written at the junction of a prefix and a root if the prefix ends and the root begins with the same consonant, for example: , in sz rhenium, according to dd hold, o tt excut .

Notes:

1. With the letters ss words formed from the root -count- 9 are written0012 using the prefix ras - for example: ra ss read, ra ss read . Words with the same prefix and root -th- are written with one with , for example: calculation, calculating (but countless , from without counting ).

2. Double consonants can occur in suffixes and at the junction of a root and a suffix, for example: traditional nn th, unity nn th, matro ss cue . These cases will be considered later.