Spelling RulesAdding –s, -es, -ing and -ed

Vowels and Consonants

Vowels: a, e, i, o, uConsonants: all other letters

Spelling of Verbs and Nounsin –s and -es

1. For most third-person singular (he, she, it) verbs and for plural nouns, add –s to the simple form:◦ Verb: swimswims

◦ Noun: lake lakes

Spelling of Verbs and Nounsin –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 Nounsin –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: toytoys

Spelling of Verbs and Nounsin –s and -es

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

Spelling of Verbs and Nounsin –s and -es

4. If the simple form ends with a consonant + o, add –s or –es. Some words take –es:◦ dodoes◦ echoechoes◦ gogoes◦ heroheroes◦ potatopotatoes◦ tomatotomatoes

Spelling of Verbs and Nounsin –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: radioradios, zoozoos

Spelling of Verbs and Nounsin –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

shelvesExceptions: beliefbeliefs, chiefchiefs,

roofroofs, hoofhooves, scarfscarfs or scarves

Spelling of Verbs ending in -ing

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 one-syllable verb ends in a single vowel + consonant, double the final consonant and add –ing.◦ hit

hitting◦ stop

stopping Compare to two vowels + consonant: eatingeating

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. traveltravelling 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 -ed

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 one-syllable 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

enteredThe 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

◦ staystayed