All Questions
Tagged with doubled-consonants orthography
55 questions
2
votes
2
answers
194
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Were double consonants pronounced at some period of history?
One of the things that makes me wonder is why English has double consonants which are pronounced as single, like ‘ff’ (buffer, stiff), ‘ll’ (allow), ‘mm’ (hammer), ‘nn’ (dinner), ‘ss’ (-ness, floss) ...
- 505
0
votes
1
answer
109
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Why is double -ll- used after a vowel digraph in "surveilled, surveilling"?
Why is the letter l double in the inflections of the verb surveil?
It's not in those of (as)sail or veil, and AmE has canceled but mostly cancellation. It's a counterintuitive spelling similar to ...
- 2,690
0
votes
0
answers
60
views
"Bias": reason(s) for doubling the last consonant before inflectional endings
Forms such as concussed or discusses may lead people to wrongly double the final consonant of focus ―at least that's the only reason I have come up with.
Yet, I cannot come up with a potential ...
- 2,690
2
votes
1
answer
1k
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'Histogramed' or 'histogrammed'?
The following rule (or 'rule', this being English) is sometimes quoted:
If a word has two or more syllables, double the final consonant when adding a suffix if and only if the final syllable is ...
- 12.6k
1
vote
2
answers
1k
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Why does "inferred" have two Rs while "inference" doesn't?
Earlier today I spelled "infered" with one R and my handy editor promptly added some red squiggles.
Acknowledging the error of my ways I added the missing R happy carried only writing my document.
...
5
votes
2
answers
582
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Is "buffeted" the AmE version of the BrE word "buffetted"?
I am referring to the use of the verb "to buffet" meaning
"(especially of wind or waves) strike repeatedly and violently; batter."
The use of "buffeted" and "buffeting" is widespread. However use ...
- 6,314
4
votes
2
answers
15k
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Why do we write "fixing" instead of "fixxing"?
When we have one vowel and one consonant and we want to add 'ing', we usually double the last consonant.
Why don't we add an extra 'x' to the word 'fix'?
We don't double 'w' and 'y' maybe because they ...
- 97
1
vote
1
answer
7k
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Are "worshiping" and "worshipping" interchangeable? [closed]
Every online source seems to agree with the preconceived notion I had that the correct usage is "worshipping" with two p's, saying that "worshipping" is an exception to a rule about doubling the ...
- 121
0
votes
1
answer
3k
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What are the rules when to use double letters for words that end with a consonant when modified both in British English and in American English? [duplicate]
Example of such words are:
http://grammarist.com/spelling/cancel/
http://grammarist.com/spelling/travel/
As far as I know, at least in American English, words that have single syllable double their ...
- 294
1
vote
1
answer
272
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Is there a grammar rule for nouns coming from verbs? [duplicate]
I'd like to know if there is a grammar rule stating when the last consonant of the verb has to be doubled.
E.g. why: "to cut" -> cutter, "to program" -> programmer, but "to read" -> reader?
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
12k
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Why "controlled" not "controled"? [duplicate]
Unlike British English and other varieties, American English does not double the letter "l" in words such as "traveled", "canceled", etc. However, it does with the word "controlled". Is there any ...
- 1,442
11
votes
3
answers
5k
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Why is the 'L' in detailed not doubled?
I cannot quite understand why the 'L' is not doubled when forming 'detailed' from 'detail'. Is that an exemption to the consonant doubling, or did I simply not understand the rules?
From the answers ...
- 376
6
votes
2
answers
7k
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Is it "transferrer" or "transferer"?
According to thefreedictionary, "transferrer" is someone who transfers something. However, it also lists the alternate spelling "transferer", with only one r in the middle. For the related "...
- 318
2
votes
1
answer
1k
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When double "l" is considered American English?
I'm struggling with "enroll" and "enrollment". Both answers (this one and this one), given to this question, as well as Wikipedia seems to be suggesting, that double "l" is more common in British ...
- 154
2
votes
1
answer
4k
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Double Consonants in Gerund
Is there any rules regarding gerund that tell when to double the consonant of a word and when not to?
I'm a little bit confused regarding this matter. Based on this link there are words that can be ...
- 329
4
votes
3
answers
38k
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Why is "batting" spelled with two t's, but "combating" spelled with one?
The "bating" in "combating" is pronounced the exact same way as "batting". It doesn't make sense to me.
- 49
9
votes
3
answers
2k
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Other special hyphenation examples than eight-teen
According to The TeXbook [Don Knuth, 1984], solution to Exercise 14.8, the word eighteen should be hyphenated eight-teen. It is, indeed, standard practice in pre-reform German to contract triple ...
- 433
22
votes
1
answer
9k
views
Why is "fridge" spelt with a 'd' but "refrigeration" spelt without one?
The question is in the title, why does the word, refrigeration not have a 'd' in it when fridge does?
- 503
-1
votes
2
answers
3k
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How is the past tense of "error" spelt in British English? [duplicate]
How is the past tense of "error" spelt in British English?
Wiktionary says that it's "errored", but its entry for errored doesn't explicitly say it's valid for British English, and I thought it'd get ...
- 18.3k
38
votes
3
answers
225k
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“Programming” versus “programing”: which is preferred?
I was surprised that my spell checker did not complain for programing with one m, so I Googled it, and found on free dictionaries that both forms were acceptable.
Which one is more common? Does it ...
11
votes
1
answer
22k
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Past participle form of "exit"?
What's the past participle form of the word exit? Is it exit (irregular, like set)? exited? exitted? On one page I found exited but if that's the case why isn't it exitted (double t) like with the ...
- 609
33
votes
3
answers
92k
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Is "targetted" a standard British English spelling?
Wiktionary says that the difference between "targetting" and "targeting" is that the first one is a British spelling and the second one is American. Meanwhile, Oxford Dictionaries says that "...
- 537
15
votes
5
answers
28k
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"Cancellation", "Canceled", "Canceling" — US usage
I'm trying to figure out if there is a specific rule behind the word "cancel" that would cause "cancellation" to have two L's, but "canceled" and "canceling" to have only one (in the US).
I ...
- 253
1
vote
0
answers
264
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"Traveller" vs. "traveler" [duplicate]
There was a time when traveller's cheques were emitted and sold by the banks in England and by Thomas Cook. However the cheques emitted by American banks/American Express were named traveler's cheque, ...
24
votes
3
answers
108k
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Plural of 'yes'
What is the plural of yes? Googling brings up many different suggestions from different sources.
Yesses
Yeses
Yes's
Yes' ?
- 1,223
10
votes
2
answers
1k
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Why does "agree" have only one "g"?
According to Webster, agree comes from Latin ad + gratus. However there are other words such as aggregate and aggression that also come from ad + [something], and these words are spelled with a double ...
- 201
1
vote
0
answers
2k
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What is the rule for duplicating the last letter when adding "-ed"? [duplicate]
I wonder if there is any rule for doubling the p at the end of a stem. For example:
stop — stopped
but
help — helped
- 159
0
votes
1
answer
2k
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programme or program [duplicate]
I am wondering which is the correct version?
Furthermore, the official length of my programme of study: 3.5 years
of full-time study and 16 weeks of internship.
Furthermore, the official ...
- 257
1
vote
3
answers
22k
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Does the word "Vaccum" exist?
If yes, does it have the same meaning of vacuum?
Ref:
Vacuum (Wikipedia)
Vaccum.org (dead link / domain not in use; verified on 28.12.2020).
Both the sites define the same meaning, but the spelling ...
- 121
2
votes
2
answers
9k
views
Why is "writing" spelled with only one T? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is there any rhyme or reason to when one should double the last consonant when adding -ed or -ing?
It has always been a word that intuitively I wish to spell with two Ts.
So ...
- 133
3
votes
1
answer
2k
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For the verb 'focus' why is the gerund form 'focusing' with a single S, instead of 'focussing' with a double S? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Focussed” or “focused”? The double consonant
The rule that I learned was that when you have a short vowel in the last syllable, you double the last consonant before adding ...
- 698
8
votes
2
answers
114k
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"Dilemma" vs. "dilemna" [closed]
I understand the correct spelling is 'dilemma' but many people I've spoken with, including myself, were convinced the spelling was 'dilemna'.
A quick search on google shows this is not isolated to ...
- 191
19
votes
2
answers
38k
views
Why is "fulfil" spelt as "fulfill" in American English?
In this answer, simplification is stated as one reason for spelling variations in American English. But unlike in color and favorite, the number of letters to spell the word in fulfil increases in ...
- 16.1k
10
votes
3
answers
96k
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Why is the plural of "quiz" spelled with double Z?
The plural of "quiz" is spelled with double "z" while the plural of "box" (and sometimes "bus") is spelled with a single last consonant. Why is it so? Is this the general rule to double the last ...
- 111
14
votes
5
answers
18k
views
What is the preferred plural form of "bus"?
The OED states that both "buses" and "busses" are acceptable plural forms of "bus". Is one generally preferred over the other?
- 251
6
votes
2
answers
8k
views
L versus LL in British versus US English [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When is “L” doubled?
Is there any guidance on the usage of doubled consonants, particularly L, in British versus US English? For example 'Travelled' v. 'Traveled', ...
- 591
4
votes
3
answers
13k
views
Which is correct, "summiting" or "summitting"?
This form of the word is not very common but does see some use as the present participle/gerund of "to summit" as in "Upon summit(t)ing the mountain we took photos but had to begin our descent ...
- 7,820
45
votes
1
answer
359k
views
"Canceling" or "cancelling" [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When is “L” doubled?
I'm confused about the two spellings. In which contexts do I have to use canceling or cancelling?
Google returns 15.6 million results with ...
- 713
10
votes
1
answer
13k
views
Why is "transferred" written with two R's?
Why is transferred written with two R's? I am a native speaker of Dutch, and in my point of view this isn't logical; there are other words like coloured and endeavoured that only have -ed added after ...
- 203
3
votes
1
answer
3k
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Why is shippable spelled with 2 p's [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the correct spelling: wrapable, or wrappable?
My mother "corrected" me and said "shouldn't shippable be spelled as shipable"? My gut feeling said two p's, but I couldn'...
- 215
10
votes
2
answers
7k
views
What is the correct spelling: "wrapable" or "wrappable"?
As it sounds: is "wrapable" correct, or is "wrappable" correct? Or are neither correct?
Microsoft Word complains about both, but Google doesn't correct either one.
- 203
16
votes
5
answers
402k
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Which is the correct spelling: "Granddad" or "Grand-dad" or "Grandad"?
Granddad or Grand-dad or Grandad?
Which is the correct spelling?
- 161
1
vote
2
answers
10k
views
"vermilion" or "vermillion"?
Which one has primacy in English: "vermilion" or "vermillion" (as a color) ? Both have entries in various dictionaries. Is the difference concerned with AmE/BrE ?
- 35.9k
2
votes
2
answers
4k
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Is it spelled "propeling" or "propelling" in American English?
Since travel becomes traveler and traveling in AmE (no double l), I thought that the same rule applied to propel.
However, reading and writing propeling feels awkward. (And propeler feels even more ...
12
votes
1
answer
31k
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"Inner" but not "outter"?
in -> inner
out -> outer / (outter?)
What is the history or set of rules behind why 'inner' doubles the 'n' but 'outer' doesn't double the 't'?
- 1,498
50
votes
10
answers
96k
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Is it "alright" or "allright"?
In practice I find both spellings being used. From a logical point of view, "allright" (as in: "all's right — everything is fine") seems correct. However, I recall hearing that "alright" is the ...
- 4,457
4
votes
3
answers
2k
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Why are the present and the past participles of "submit" spelled with double t?
Why are the present and the past participles of submit spelled with two t's?
user4940
43
votes
4
answers
95k
views
"Cancelled" or "Canceled"?
Cancelled or Canceled ? Which one is right?
You have successfully canceled the registration
or
You have successfully cancelled the registration
5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is there any rhyme or reason to when one should double the last consonant when adding -ed or -ing? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
focussed or focused? The double consonant
Sometimes, final consonants are doubled when adding -ed or -ing to the end of a verb whose penultimate letter is a vowel.
stop → ...
- 506
50
votes
9
answers
164k
views
"Focussed" or "focused"? Rules for doubling the last consonant when adding -ed
Initially, my question was: is "focussed" or "focused" the correct past tense of "focus", but since this applies to a lot of words, I would like to generalize and ask: is there supposed to be a rule ...
- 4,457