8.3: Doubling the final consonant
- Page ID
- 161616
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Have you ever noticed that sometimes when adding a suffix the last letter in the base word will double and sometimes it does not double? For example, when the suffix <-ing> is added to the base <run>, the <n> is doubled to form the word <running.> However, when <-ing> is added to the base <jump>, the <p> is not doubled, resulting in the word <jumping.> The structure of many of the words used in the Robert Frost poem lend themselves to investigating the doubling convention.
First, read and enjoy the poem. Then go back to the poem and look at the highlighted words. Can you determine the base words and the prefixes and suffixes?
Examine the words in the charts below and see if you can figure out the patterns for doubling and not doubling.
“Acquainted with the Night”
I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.
I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.
I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,...
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
|
Words not doubled |
Word sum |
Base word |
Pattern from the vowel |
|
walked outwalked |
walk+ed out+walk+ed |
walk |
VCC |
|
looked |
look+ed |
look |
VVC |
|
passed |
pass+ed |
pass |
VCC |
|
unwilling |
un+will+ing |
will |
VCC |
|
interrupted |
inter+rupt+ed |
rupt |
VCC |
|
proclaimed |
pro+claim+ed |
claim |
VVC |
|
Words doubled |
Word sum |
Base word |
pattern from the vowel |
|
stopped |
stop(p)+ed |
stop |
VC |
|
saddest |
sad(d)+est |
sad |
VC |
|
dropped |
drop(p)+ed |
drop |
VC |
When a one syllable base word ends with a single vowel and a single consonant (VC) and you add a vowel suffix such as -ing, -ed, -er, -est, the final consonant will double. The words from the Frost poem stopped, saddest, dropped are all examples of this convention. When a base word ends with a vowel and two consonants (VCC) or two vowels and a consonant (VVC), the final letter will not double when adding a vowel suffix.
A group of curious 5th graders in Marybeth Stevens’ classroom wanted to understand why the plural of bus is buses and not busses. Read how the students with the help of Marybeth investigated if the word buses was an exception to the doubling convention in her blog “Is this the Right Bus?’ https://mbsteven.edublogs.org/2019/12/09/is-this-the-right-bus/