Spelling Rules

Spelling Rules Adding –s, -es, -ing and -ed

Vowels:

a, e, i, o, u Consonants: all other letters

Vowels and Consonants

 1.

For most third-person singular (he, she, it) verbs and for plural nouns, add –s to the simple form: ◦ Verb: swim  swims

◦ Noun: lake  lakes

Spelling of Verbs and Nouns in –s and -es

 2.

If the simple form ends with the letters s, z, sh, ch, or x, add –es. ◦ Verb: miss  misses

◦ Noun: box  boxes

Spelling of Verbs and Nouns in –s and -es

 3.

If the simple form ends with a consonant + y, change y to I and add –es: ◦ Verb: try  tries

◦ Noun: baby  babies



Vowel + Y, add -s: toytoys

Spelling of Verbs and Nouns in –s and -es

 4.

If the simple form ends with a consonant + o, add –s or –es. Some words take –s: ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦

autoautos photophotos pianopianos solosolos

Spelling of Verbs and Nouns in –s and -es

 4.

If the simple form ends with a consonant + o, add –s or –es. Some words take –es: ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦

dodoes echoechoes gogoes heroheroes potatopotatoes tomatotomatoes

Spelling of Verbs and Nouns in –s and -es

 4.

If the simple form ends with a consonant + o, add –s or –es. Some words take both –s or –es: ◦ tornado tornados or tornadoes ◦ volcano volcanos or volcanoes ◦ zero zeros or zeroes



Vowel + o: radioradios, zoozoos

Spelling of Verbs and Nouns in –s and -es

 5.

If the simple form ends in a single f or fe, change the f or fe to v and add-es. ◦ knife  knives ◦ shelf  shelves

 Exceptions:

beliefbeliefs, chiefchiefs, roofroofs, hoofhooves, scarfscarfs or scarves

Spelling of Verbs and Nouns in –s and -es

 1.

For most verbs, add –ing to the simple form of the verb. ◦ sleep  sleeping

◦ talk  talking

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ing

 2.

If the simple form ends in a single e, drop the e and add – ing. ◦ live  living

◦ write  writing

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ing

 3.

If the simple form ends in ie, change the ie to y and add – ing. ◦ die  dying

◦ lie  lying

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ing

 4.

If the simple form of a onesyllable verb ends in a single vowel + consonant, double the final consonant and add –ing. ◦ hit

 hitting

◦ stop

 stopping



Compare to two vowels + consonant: eatingeating

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ing



5. If the simple form of a verb with two or more syllables ends in a single vowel + consonant, double the final consonant if the stress is on the final syllable. Do not double the final consonant if the stress is not on the final syllable: ◦ admit  admitting ◦ begin  beginning ◦ develop  developing ◦ listen  listening



NOTE: the final l is always doubled in British English, but not in American English. traveltravelling or traveling

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ing

 6.

Do not double the final consonants x, w, and y: ◦ fix  fixing

◦ obey  obeying

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ing

 1.

To form the simple past and V3 of most regular verbs, add – ed to the simple form. ◦ brush  brushed

◦ play  played

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ed

 2.

If the simple form ends with –e, just add d. ◦ race  raced

◦ trade  traded

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ed

 3.

If the simple form ends with a consonant + y, change the y to I and add -ed. ◦ bury

 buried

◦ dry

 dried



Compare with vowel + y: play/played, enjoy/enjoyed

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ed

 4.

If the simple form of a onesyllable verb ends with a single vowel + consonant, double the final consonant and add -ed. ◦ plan  planned

◦ shop  shopped

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ed





5. If the simple form of a verb with two or more syllables ends in a single vowel + consonant, double the final consonant and add –ed only when the stress is on the final syllable. Do not double the final consonant if the stress is not on the final syllable. ◦ prefer  preferred ◦ enter  entered The final l is always doubled in British English, but not in American English: ◦ travel travel or travelled

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ed

 6.

Do not double the final consonants x, w and y. ◦ coax  coaxed

◦ snow  snowed

◦ stay  stayed

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ed