Doubling up longer words

shorty revision video

beginner, forgetting, equipped, preferred, regrettable

In this simplified shorty lesson, we're looking at the 1:1:1 doubling up rule for longer words. 

Remember in the last video, we looked at the 1:1:1 doubling up rule with words with 1 syllable (shop, run, swim ) with 1 vowel next to 1 end consonant and when this happens we double the end consonant when we add vowel suffixes (shopped, runner, swimming). 

Remember how the double letters usually indicate the short vowel sound so we don't get them mixed up with the magic 'e' long sounds.

We can also double up longer words. 

Look at these two syllable words: begin, forget, regret, upset, acquit, admit.

When we add vowel suffixes, we double up the end consonant: beginner, forgetting, regretted, upsetting, acquitted, admittance

But we only double up the end consonant in these words when the last syllable is stressed. Read these to yourself and hear how the stress is slightly on the second syllable: "beGIN, forGET, reGRET, upSET, acQUIT, adMIT."

If you can't hear the stress then don't worry, just see the patterns.

begin — we have 1 end stressed syllable with 1 vowel next to 1 end consonant so we double up with vowel suffixes: beginner, beginning. 
But not begins because 's' isn't a vowel suffix.

forget  — forgetting, forgettable/unforgettable. Also the past: forgot forgotten 

regret regrettable, regrettably, regretting, regretted

submit submitting, submitted

upset upsetting

equip equipped, equipping. But not equipment because we only double up with vowel suffixes.

acquit  acquitted, acquitting, acquittal

admit  admitting, admittance, admitted

We also double up the end 'r' in  prefer, refer, occur. The 'r' influences the vowel sound and makes it long

prefer "preFER" — preferred, preferring, preferrer. But not preference ("PREferable"),  preferential ("PREFERencial") and preference ("PREFerence") because the stress is on the first syllable.

refer — referred, referring. But not reference ("REFerence"), referendum ("REFerendum"), referee

occur — occurring, occurred, occurrence

transfer — transferred, transferring

Remember when the stress doesn't fall on the final syllable, don't double up.

offer “Of er” — offering, offered,
cater "CAter" — catered, catering
murmur — murmured, murmuring
budget — budgeting, budgeted

With perform ("pFORM") the stress is on the end syllable but we have two consonants so we don't use the 1:1:1 rule: performer performing

If you can't hear the stress, or find rules hard to remember, then see the patterns. Most good spellers don't know this rule but just see the patterns and see that the spelling looks right.

Spelling test

There are 8 sentences. Enjoy and don’t worry about mistakes - learn from them.

Answers

Check your spellings letter by letter. Think about why you made a mistake.

1. I'm going food shopping on Wednesday.

2. I hope this summer is hotter than last summer and not wetter.

3. She needs a reference and is hoping I'll give her one.

4. The film last night was totally forgettable.

5. He loves running in the evenings.

6. It's forbidden to smoke indoors.

7. My sister is slimmer but shorter than me.

8. They stopped going swimming when the price went up.

Keep going over the lesson and exercises so you get the rule in your long-term memory. Doing something once isn’t going to help you remember things.

Keep revising, reviewing and repeating to remember.

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