Adding -ing
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Phonic Sounds
English for Kids
Adding “-ing” to a verb creates the present participle form. This form has several uses in English grammar, most notably in continuous tenses (like “I am walking”) and as a gerund (a verb acting as a noun, like “Walking is good exercise”).
When adding -ing to verbs, the spelling of the base verb may change depending on the ending of the word.
Spelling rules for adding “-ing”:
-
Basic Rule: Add -ing
For most verbs, you simply add “-ing” to the base form.
walk → walking
talk → talking
eat → eating -
Drop the Silent -e
If the verb ends in a silent “e” (an “e” that isn’t pronounced), you drop the “e” before adding “-ing."
make → making
take → taking
write → writing
Exceptions to the Silent -e Rule:
Verbs ending in “-ee,” “-ye,” or “-oe” generally keep the “e” when adding “-ing”:
see → seeing
agree → agreeing
free → freeing
-
Double the Final Consonant (CVC Rule)
This is sometimes called the “1-1-1 rule” (1 syllable, 1 vowel, 1 consonant). If a one-syllable verb ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel (a consonant-vowel-consonant or CVC pattern), you double the final consonant before adding “-ing."
sit → sitting
run → running
swim → swimming -
For multi-syllable words, you only double the final consonant if the stress is on the last syllable.
begin → beginning (stress on “gin”)
refer → referring (stress on “fer”)
prefer → preferring (stress on “fer”)
control → controlling (stress on “trol”)
But: offer → offering (stress on “of”)
suffer → suffering (stress on “suf”)
open → opening (stress on “o”) -
Final consonants w, x, and y are not doubled:
mix → mixing
play → playing
row (in a boat) → rowing -
-ie Changes to -y
If a verb ends in “-ie,” you change the “-ie” to “-y” before adding “-ing."
die → dying
lie → lying (to recline)
tie → tying -
Ends in “-c,” you add “-king”
panic → panicking
mimic → mimicking
traffic → trafficking
The following diagram gives the some spelling rules for adding -ing. Scroll down the page for more examples.
Spelling Rules for Verbs
Adding -ed
Irregular Verbs
Adding -ing
The suffix -ing
All Spelling Rules For Adding The Suffix -ing In A Rap Song
Adding ‘ing’
Spelling in English
ING Spelling rules
Spelling of verbs ending in ING in English
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