Consonant doubling is the biggest English spelling problem

Consonant doublingis the biggest English spelling problem It causes more spelling errors than any other spelling difficulty. In root words of more than one syllable it is totally unpredictable. Doubling a consonant is supposed to show that a vowel is short rather than long, as in bitter biter,teddy - tedious, tinny tinyIt was intended to apply just tostressedvowels. This is meant to explain why 'conferred'and'committed'haverrandttin the past tense, but'entered'and'plummeted'don't (whened is added to 'confer, commit,enter' and 'plummet').

Unfortunately, English consonant doubling is used very inconsistently.There is no reliable rulefor deciding whether to double a consonant, or not, in similarly sounding words. Learners have to memorise, word by word, when to double and when not to, as the chart below summarises.

This rote-learning burden of913words defeats many learners.Another73words exacerbate it even further.49 words have unpredictablefinal-ff, -llandss(if stiff,stole- poll,busfuss)and24 wordsdon't follow theccle pattern,of endings likeapple, bubble,tussle, for example,chapel,double,rustle.Table 1:379 common words which obey the consonant doubling rule, 376 words which disobey the doubling rule, 158 words that have doubled consonants for obscure reasons and 73 words withunpredictable endings.DoubledLetters

Words that obey the doubling rule

Words that disobey the doubling rule

Words with phonically surplusdoubled consonants(and underlined stressed vowels)

bb

abbey rabbitcabbage Sabbathjabber shabby

ribbon

hobby lobbychubby stubbornrubber stubby rubbish

cabinet elaboratecabaret fabulouscabin habitnebula trebleliberal libertytributeprobable robin

abbreviate

ck

(for cc or kk)

bracken packetbracket jacketpackage racket

reckon

bicker stickychicken ticketcricket wickedflicker wickerrickety wicketcockerel locketcrockery rocket hockey rockyjockey socketpocket stocking bucket cuckoo sucker

accurate lacquertobaccovacuum

recognise decaderecord executive(noun)second echosecular mechanism chequeredpiccololiquorliquorice

crocodiledocumentsoccupy

succulent

accomodate accordionaccommodation accountaccompany accumulateaccomplish accuseaccord accustom

occasionoccupationoccurrence

succumb

dd

adder daddycaddie laddercaddy eddy teddy wedding

giddy riddenhiddenshoddy sodden

rudder suddenshudder pudding

academy radicaladequate radish

credit medicaldedicated meadowedible pedaledit pedigreeeducate readyfederal steady alreadyhideous video

body modernproduce modeststudy

add

midday

odd

ff

daffodil scaffold traffic effigy effortdifferentdifficult jiffycoffee coffinoffer officebuffalo ruffianbuffer suffer buffet suffocatechuffed

cafe

refuge heiferrefuse (noun)magnificentsignificant

profit

affair affectionaffect afford paraffineffectefficient effluentdifferentialdiffusionoffendofficialsufficient

chaffeur

gg

baggage scraggyjagged staggermaggot swagger beggarsnigger triggersoggyluggage ruggednugget

agony hexagonaldragonflagonnegativebrigand frigate

aggravateaggressive

dg(for j sound)

badger fledgling

midget

dodgy dodgemspodgybudgie drudgerybudget

exaggeratelegend registerlegislate vegetableregimentpigeon rigidreligionlogic

suggest(pronounced in US)

ll

alley gallon alligator gallopally gallows ballast mallet ballet rallyballot shallow challenge stallion gallant valley gallery

swallow wallop wallaby wallow walletbellow jellybelly pellet cellar rebellion cello sellotape cellophane trellis fellow umbrella intelligent yellow

armadillo illustrate artillery milligrams billiard million billion pillar billow pillow billy silly brilliant vanilla frilly villa gorilla village guerillas villain guillotine syllable collar jolly colleague lollipop college lolly collie mollusc colliery pollen dollar pollinate follow trolley hollow volley hollylullaby sullen bullet bullock bulletin bully bullion pulley pullover

analysis reality balance salad battalion salary calendar salon chalet talent galaxy talonitalic valentine morality valiant palace valid palate value palette vitality

celery jealous delegate melody delicacy melon deluge pelican develop relevant element reliceligible skeleton helicopter telescope zealous abilitybiliousmilitary

ventriloquist

cylinderabolish polythene colony quality column solemn demolish solid holiday tolerate olive volume knowledge voluntary policypolitics colour

llamaparallel

really

excellenthellojewellerymarvelloussatelliteconstellation

caterpillarillegibleilliterateillusionillustrationilluminatepastilletonsillitis

collagecollapsecollectcollide

controlledrollerswollen

mm

ammonite mammal clammy mammoth hammer stammer inflammable dilemma

glimmer simmer symmetry

comment common commentarycommunism commerce communist

dummy summer mummy summit rummage summon summary tummy

amateur dynamic camel enamel camera famished damage laminatecemetary remedy chemical lemon democrat feminine emerald premise epidemic semi memorycriminal timid eliminate imagelimitabominable economic comet prominent comic promise dominate vomit domino

ammunitionprogramme*

immediate immortal immense immune

accommodation commotion command communication commemorate communion commence community commercial commuter commit committee commodities recommend

nn

annual nanny banner pannier cannot savannah granny spanner manner uncanny

antenna tennispennant penny

dinnerinnerinnocenceinnocentspinnaker

bonnet sonnet

animal organic anorak panel banish panic banister spaniel canopy vanish manage manual manorbenefitany many enemy penetrate energy venison menace lieutenant aluminium linear cinema minimal clinical minister cynical minute synagogue opinion synonym sinister continue spinach finish vinegar astonish monastery conifer monarch economy monument electronic supersonic tonichoney onion money

anniversaryannounceannoy

connectpersonnel

mayonnaise

questionnaire

pp

appetite happy happen nappy

pepper

flipper skipper kipper slippers

copper poppy coppice sloppy opposite

puppet supper puppy upper

rapid capital tapestry capitol capita chapel

leper epictepid separate

copy topic opera popular operate tropics properproperty

appal applaud apparatus applyapparent appoint appeal appreciate appear apprentice appendix approach appropriate hippopotamus approve approximate opportunityoppose

supply suppose support

rr

arrow marrowbarren marrybarrier narrativebarrister narrowbarrow parrotcarrot quarrycarry sparrowgarret warrant warrenberry merrycherry sherryerrand terraceerror terribleferry territoryherring terrorinterrogate

irritable squirrelmirror stirrup

borrow sorrowcorridor sorryhorrible tomorrowlorry torrent

worryburrow hurricanecurrent hurryfurrowed scurryfurry turret

Arab caricaturearable carolarid clarityasparagus comparisonbaron garagecaramel parasolcaravan parishchariot transparentcharityberet America bury meritceremony perilcherish perishderelict sincerityherald steriliseheritage therapistheroine veryheronconspiracy spiritempirical syruplyric tyrannymiracleauthority laurelcoral majorityflorist minorityforest moralhistoric orangehoroscope priority quarantine

thoroughcouragenourish

arrangearrayarrestarrivebarricade

erraticinterruptserratedterrific

irregularirrigation

torrentialcorrespondcorrectcorrelation

hurrahcurriculumsurrendersurround

ss: ambassador massivecasseroleclassic passagemassacre passenger

delicatessen messageessay necessityessence professorlessonmissilenarcissusrissole

blossom gossipcolossal possible fossil

acid glaciercapacity (USglaishier)fascinatepacifist

adolescent recipeconvalescence specifycrescent specimendecimalchrysalis participatediscipline precipiceelectricity publicityexplicit simplicitymunicipal solicitorvelocity sausage

assail assessmentassassin assignassault assistassemble associateassert assort assumedessert cassetteessential embassynecessarypossesspossibility

tt

attic matterattitude patterbatter patternbattery regattachatter scatterclatter shatterfatty tatter latterbetter letterconfetti lettucejettison prettyjetty spaghetti

bitten mittenbitter sitterglitter titterkitten twitterlitter written

bottom lotterycottage mottocotton otterforgotten potter

butter puttybutton shutterclutter spluttergutter stuttermutter utter mutton

atom platinumbaton platypuscatalogue satincatapult strategycategorycompatiblelaterallatitudeathletic tetanusmagnetic veteranmetal yetipetal competitive

British literallycitizen obliteratecitycriticalpity

botany

attach battalionattainattempt tattooattend mattressattentionattorneyattractattributedomelettepalette

settee

zz

blizzard buzzard dizzy fuzzy

hazard presenthesitate presidentlizard residentlozenge miserablewizard prisonwizened risen closetcloset depositdesert positivedesignate visibledesolate visithesitate scissors

49 words haveunpredictable final-ff,-lland-ss

cuffhuffroughcliff stiffchef

duffpufftoughsniffwhiff if

gruffstuffslough

enoughstaffcalf

off of coughhalf

troughlaugh

dolepollcoalbawlallshall

holerollfoalbrawlball

molescrollgoalcrawlcall

polestrollshoaldrawlfall

roletollscrawlhall

soletrollsoulshawlsmall

stoledollsprawlstall

wholelolltrawltall

casserole controlwall

rissole enrol

tadpole patrol

fussusatlascarcassbrass*

pussbuscanvascompassclass*

trusspluspampasembarrassglass*

hissthispyjamasgrass*

kisstrespasspass*

missChristmasmass*

assgas* In standard UK speechthese words rhyme with'farce'and'sparse';and'mass'has a variable sound.

crass

lassyes

24wordsdon't follow thecclepatternof doubled consonants in endings

babbleknucklebafflecamelbarrelbattle

bubblenickelmufflepommellaurelbottle

cobblepicklerafflepummelquarrelcattle

dabblepricklerufflesquirrelkettle

doublespecklescufflechannellittle

dribblesuckleshuffleflannelapostlenettle

gabbletacklesnifflefunnelbristlerattle

gobbleticklekennelbustleruffle

hobbletricklegigglepanelcastlescuttle

nibblegoggletunnelgristlesettle

pebblecuddlehagglehassleskittle

quibblefiddleniggleapplehustlesubtle

rubblehuddlesmugglechapeljostlethrottle

scribblemeddlesnugglecouplemusclewattle

squabblemiddlestragglecripplemussel

treblemodelstrugglegrapplerustledazzle

troublemuddlewigglerippletasseldrizzle

wobblepaddlewrigglesupplethistlegrizzle

peddletippletrestleguzzle

bucklepuddletoppletusslemuzzle

cackleriddletriplevesselnozzle

chucklesaddlewhistlenuzzle

crackletoddlewrestlepuzzle

ficklesizzle

There is also no general rule for keeping and dropping doubled letters in compounds.

Fill, full- fulfil, beautiful; well- welfare - farewellConsonant doubling causes severe problems for all learners. Even young children have to deal with them soon after first starting to read and write.The following111words withregularly doubled consonants,82withmissing onesand18wordswithsurplus or wrongdoublings feature in most early reading schemes.

111 regular doublingsCabbage rabbit ribbon hobby chubby rubber rubbishdaddy ladder teddy giddy hidden pudding suddendaffodil traffic different difficult coffee office luggagegallop shallow valley cellar fellow jelly yellow billy brilliant bully gorilla pillow silly village collar dollar follow hollow holly jolly lollipop trolley lullabyhammer mummy summer summit tummy yummygranny nanny penny tennis dinnerhappen happy pepper flippers slippers floppy poppy puppet puppy supper upperarrow carrot carry narrow parrot berry cherry ferry terrace terrible mirror borrow horrible lorry sorry tomorrow worry hurrymassive passenger lesson message possibleattic chatter clatter matter scatter shatter better letter lettuce bitter glitter kitten written bottom cottage forgotten butter button clutter mutter buzzer dizzy

82 missingand18 surplus or wrongdoublings

cabin fabulous habit probable robinradish already ready meadow steady body model modern study- add oddcafe- afford dragon- eggbalance calendar palace salad celery helicopter jealous melody melon pelican skeleton holidaysolid volume - collect, hellotimid image abominable comet comic promise vomitanimal banister manage panic vanishany many enemy cinema finish spinach annoyweapon leopard rapid capital separate copy proper topic popular- appearcaravan carol America heroine perish very florist forest orange arrange arrest arrivedecimal recipe dessertatom platypus satin metal petal British city pity- attract attention tattoo settee mattressdesert hesitate present prisonvisit scissors

Passive Verbs

Passive verbs are used in the passive voice, where the emphasis is on what is being done to the object of the sentence. The key wordbycan often be used to identify the passive voice. Any tense can be used with passive verbs.

The studentswere being taughtby the teacher.

Notice the wordby, which clues us in to the passive voice.

The dogwas being walkedby the woman.

The essayshould have been writtenby you, not by your friend.

The fire departmenthas beennotified.

Active Verbs

Active verbs are used when writing in the active voice. In the active voice, the emphasis is on the subject which is doing the action. Any tense can be used with active verbs.

The teachertaughtthe students.

The womanwalkedthe dog.

Youshould writethe essay.

Wemust have walkedfor three hours.

Therewill besnow tomorrow.

Helping Verbs (Auxiliary Verbs)

Helping verbs orauxiliary verbs are the little verbs which go along with the main verb. Helping verbs dont show the action of the subject, they just show the tense of the verb.

Mattused tolike playing golf.

The main verb islike, andused tois the helping verb which tells us it was in the past.

Whatdidyou do on your holidays?

The catwasplaying with string.

Tonight, itwill besnowing.

When weweregrowing up, we liked to play in the park.

Helping verbs are also used in conditional sentences; these verbs help to create the state of condition.

If you work hard, youshouldget to wherever you want to be.

Alexmightcome over tomorrow, if he gets his essay finished.

Main Verbs

The main verb is also called thelexical verb. This term refers to the important verb in the sentence, the one which shows the action of the subject. Main verbs can stand alone, or they can be helped along by some other little verbs (a.k.a.auxiliary verbs).

Iwashappy.

In this sentence,wasis the main verb.

I wasfeelinghappy.

In this sentence,feelingis the main verb andwasis the auxiliary verb.

I must have beenfeelinghappy.

Feelingis still the main verb.

If I wereto be fired, I wouldbeunhappy.

Wheredidthey go?

What are we goingto do?

Be, haveanddocan be used as main verbs, even though they dont involve physical activity.

What Are Verbs

Verbs are action words: thats a rather simplified explanation but its the clearest one. Verbs tell you what the subject of the sentence is up to.

Tomisfunny.

The verbistells us what Tom is doing: hes being funny.

Verbs dont have to be just one word; they can have up to four parts.

The catis purring.

When wewere goingto work, itbegan to rain.

The boymust have been doingsomething terribleto makehis mother that upset.

The parts of the verb can also be separated by other words (usually adverbs).

Ihavealwayslikedthat painting.

Whydoyou notlike to eatchocolate?

Verbs can also be contracted, either with a noun or an adverb.

Ivealwayslikedthat painting.

Dont youlikeit?

WheresAndrew?