Be patient while it is loading...
ESL Blues Tutorial
(+ Quiz)
When to double final consonants
...preceded by one vowel.
The following section uses both animation (auto...) and clickable links.
Auto...
Look at these words:
run
big
run
big
run
big
run
-ing
n
ing
Why are you running?
big
-er
er
g
Your fish is bigger than mine.
write
hit
start
wait

Click or tap on the word that doubles its final consonant:

The correct answer is:    hit  Correct Answer

One final consonant preceded by one vowel.

Look! That man is hitting the dog. Stop him.
Next  |  Index
The following do not double the final consonant:
Incorrect answerwriteThe word ends in a vowel.
 I am writing a composition.
Incorrect answerstartThe word ends in two consonants.
 My wife is starting a new career.
Incorrect answerwaitFinal consonant preceded by two vowels.
 Those people are waiting for a bus.
The correct answer is:    rip  Correct Answer

One final consonant preceded by one vowel.

I ripped my jeans when I climbed over the fence.
wax
keep
camp
rip
Next  |  Index
The following do not double the final consonant:
Incorrect answerwaxThis is one of the exceptions: x, y, w.
 I waxed my shoes for the job interview.
Incorrect answerkeepFinal consonant preceded by two vowels.
 I found it so I'm keeping it.
Incorrect answercampThe word ends in two consonants.
 I'm going camping this weekend.
thin
clean
short
late
The correct answer is:    thin  Correct Answer

One final consonant preceded by one vowel.

I am thinner than my brother.
Next  |  Index
The following do not double the final consonant:
Incorrect answercleanFinal consonant preceded by two vowels.
 This beach is cleaner. There's less pollution.
Incorrect answershortThe word ends in two consonants.
 The spring session is shorter than the winter session.
Incorrect answerlateThe word ends in a vowel.
 It's 1 a.m. It's much later than I thought.
With words of more than one syllable, the consonant is doubled only if the final syllable is stressed:
Look at the following examples:
listen
lìstened    No.
Stress on first syllable.
prefer
prefèrred
Yes.

Stress on final syllable.
travel
tràveled    No.
Stress on first syllable.
(Note: In British English final l is doubled in this case.)
There is one final consonant...
Quick Quiz
In these cases the final consonant doubles before the endings  -ing,  -ed,  -er,  -est. (Exceptions: final consonants x, y, w.)
 Incorrect answer 
 Correct answer 
When to double consonants