Spelling - Consonant doubling 1: Activity 1

Sort the examples into two groups

Answers

• DOUBLE GROUP: sad + -er → sadder, sad + -en → sadden, fit + -est → fittest, spot + -ed → spotted, ship + -ed → shipped
• DON'T DOUBLE GROUP: sad + -ly → sadly, sad + -ness → sadness, fit + -ful → fitful, spot + -less → spotless, ship + -ment → shipment

When does the final consonant double and when does it not double?

• When the suffix starts with a consonant: DO NOT DOUBLE the final consonant (e.g. fitful).
• When the suffix starts with a vowel: DOUBLE the final consonant (e.g. fittest).