Rule 1: In a one-syllable verb ending in one consonant letter preceded by one vowel letter, double the final consonant letter (never double "w, x, y").
beg | begging | begged |
blur | blurring | blurred |
flip | flipping | flipped |
plan | planning | planned |
stop | stopping | stopped |
thin | thinning | thinned |
rub | rubbing | rubbed |
split | splitting | (split) |
step | stepping | stepped |
stir | stirring | stirred |
swim | swimming | (swam, swum) |
tap | tapping | tapped |
wrap | wrapping | wrapped |
fix | fixing | fixed |
play | playing | played |
plow | plowing | plowed |
Rule 2: If the verb ends with "e", drop "e", then add "ing" or "ed". Do not double the consonant letter.
come | coming | (come, came) |
date | dating | dated |
dine | dining | dined |
hide | hiding | (hid, hidden) |
hope | hoping | hoped |
injure | injuring | injured |
ride | riding | (rode, ridden) |
slide | sliding | slid |
smile | smiling | smiled |
type | typing | typed |
write | writing | (wrote, written) |
Rule 3: If a verb has two vowel letters before the final consonant letter, do not double the consonant letter.
bleed | bleeding | (bled) |
eat | eating | (ate; eaten) |
rain | raining | rained |
ruin | ruining | ruined |
seat | seating | seated |
fool | fooling | fooled |
dream | dreaming | dreamed/dreamt |
feel | feeling | felt |
Rule 4: When a verb ends with "y", and before "y", it's a consonant, change "y" to "i", and then add "ed". (Never double "y, x, w")
carry | carrying | carried |
dry | drying | dried |
fry | frying | fried |
fly | flying | (flew; flown) |
reply | replying | replied |
study | studying | studied |
try | trying | tried |
worry | worrying | worried |
Rule 5: When a verb ends with "y" and before "y" there is only one vowel letter, do not change "y" to "i"; simply add "ing" or "ed".
buy | buying | (bought) |
employ | employing | employed |
enjoy | enjoying | enjoyed |
play | playing | played |
pray | praying | prayed |
stay | staying | stayed |
Rule 6: For a two-syllable or three-syllable verb, if the last syllable is stressed, follow the one-syllable word spelling rule to double the final consonant letter.
acquit | acquitting | acquitted |
admit | admitting | admitted |
begin | beginning | (began, begun) |
commit | committing | committed |
control | controlling | controlled |
deter | deterring | deterred |
excel | excelling | excelled |
occur | occurring | occurred |
prefer | preferring | preferred |
refer | referring | referred |
submit | submitting | submitted |
transfer | transferring | transferred |
Rule 7: If the last syllable is not stressed, do not double the final consonant letter.
budget | budgeting | budgeted |
benefit | benefiting | benefited |
cancel | canceling | canceled (US) |
counsel | counseling | counseled |
happen | happening | happened |
listen | listening | listened |
marvel | marveling | marveled |
offer | offering | offered |
open | opening | opened |
quarrel | quarreling | quarreled |
ripen | ripening | ripened |
visit | visiting | visited |
travel | traveling | traveled (US) |
vomit | vomiting | vomited |
worship | worshiping | worshiped (US) |
Exceptions:
quit | quitting | (quit) |
debut | debuting | debuted |
exit | exiting | exited |
tie | tying | tied |
die | dying | died |
lie | lying | lied |