Why is there an extra n in running? Three spelling rules for adding -ing / -ed
Have you ever written He is runing. only to have it circled by your teacher? Or written He stoped., feeling like something was a bit off? Actually, there is a pattern behind why run becomes running and stop becomes stopped. This article will guide you through the three most common spelling changes when adding -ing and -ed. Once you learn them, you won't have to memorize them one by one—you'll be able to figure out the correct spelling yourself whenever you see a verb.
Adding -ing is usually used in the present continuous tense (I am eating.), while adding -ed is used for the past tense or past participle of regular verbs (I walked home.). Most verbs can simply be added directly, like walk → walking / walked. The ones you need to pay attention to are that small group of "transforming" verbs, which actually follow only three rules.
Rule 1: Double the final consonant for short vowel endings
First, look at this comparison:
- run → running (not
runing) - stop → stopped (not
stoped) - swim → swimming
- plan → planned
Why is there an extra letter? The key lies in the pronunciation. The u in run is a short vowel, which sounds short and quick. If we were to write it as runing, that single n would tempt people to pronounce the preceding u as a long vowel, just like in tuning. Adding an extra n "locks" the vowel into its short pronunciation, keeping the sound correct.
Key tip: Double the final letter for single-syllable words ending in CVC. CVC refers to "consonant + vowel + consonant" (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant). Let's break down the last three letters of the word:
- r-u-n: u is a vowel, and the letters before and after are consonants, fitting CVC → double the letter, becoming running
- s-t-o-p: o is a vowel, and the letters before and after are consonants, fitting CVC → double the letter, becoming stopped
On the flip side, if it doesn't fit CVC, you don't double the letter:
- rain → raining (ends in a-i-n, two vowels in a row, not CVC)
- help → helping (ends in l-p, two consonants, not CVC)
Let's look at full sentences to see them in action:
The kids are running in the park. (The children are running in the park.)
The bus stopped at the corner. (The bus stopped at the corner.)
Quick tip: Do not double the last letter for words ending in w, x, or y, such as snow → snowing, fix → fixing. They might look like CVC, but the way w and x are pronounced makes doubling unnecessary. Just remember this minor exception.
Rule 2: Drop the silent e at the end
The second rule is for verbs ending in a "silent e". This e makes no sound itself; its job is to make the preceding vowel long. For example, the long sound of a in make is thanks to this e.
When we want to add -ing or -ed, we first drop this e and then add the ending:
- make → making (not
makeing) - hope → hoping (not
hopeing) - write → writing
- dance → danced
Example sentences:
I am making dinner now. (I am making dinner now.)
She danced all night. (She danced all night.)
This rule is the easiest to confuse with Rule 1, so here is a side-by-side comparison. hope and hop differ by only a single e, but the results are worlds apart:
- hope (to wish, with a silent e) → drop the e → hoping: I am hoping for good news. (I am hoping for good news.)
- hop (to jump on one foot, CVC) → double the letter → hopping: The rabbit is hopping. (The rabbit is hopping.)
Can you see the difference? Whether or not there is an e at the end determines whether you "drop the e" or "double the letter". Next time you are unsure, first ask yourself: Does this word end in a silent e? If yes, drop the e; if no, look back to see if it is CVC.
Rule 3: For words ending in consonant + y, change y to i when adding -ed (with an exception for -ing)
The third rule specifically governs verbs ending in y. There is a clean division of labor here, and you only need to remember two guidelines:
When adding -ed, consonant + y → change y to i and add ed:
- study → studied (d is a consonant, change y to i)
- carry → carried
- try → tried
- cry → cried
Example sentence: She studied English for two hours. (She studied English for two hours.)
But when adding -ing, always keep the y and add the ending directly:
- study → studying (not
studiing) - carry → carrying
- try → trying
Example sentence: He is carrying a heavy bag. (He is carrying a heavy bag.)
Why don't we change the y when adding -ing? Because English spelling avoids grouping two i's together; studiing looks very awkward, so we always keep the y before adding -ing.
There is also one condition to keep in mind: only change the spelling for "consonant + y". If it is "vowel + y", leave the y as is and add the ending directly.
- play (a is a vowel followed by y) → played, playing (not
plaied) - enjoy (o is a vowel followed by y) → enjoyed, enjoying
Example sentence: We played soccer and enjoyed the game. (We played soccer and enjoyed the game.)
Three-Step Review: How to Determine the Spelling of Any Verb
Next time you need to add -ing or -ed, ask yourself these three questions in order:
- Does it end in y? If so, look at the preceding letter. For consonant + y, change y to i when adding ed (study → studied); keep the y when adding ing (studying). For vowel + y, do not change anything (played).
- Does it end in a silent e? If so, drop the e before adding the ending (make → making, hope → hoping).
- Does it end in CVC (consonant + vowel + consonant)? If so, double the final consonant (run → running, stop → stopped).
If none of the three conditions apply, you can safely add the ending directly, like walk → walking / walked. Think of these three questions as a filter to run through in order; they will help you correctly transform the vast majority of common verbs.
How to Practice in Loopy
It's easy to understand spelling rules in theory, but putting them into practice is where people often get stuck. Loopy integrates these verb changes into real-life sentences within its graded courses. This allows you to naturally encounter variations like running, stopped, and studied in contexts that match your level (A1–B1). Over time, the correct spelling will be engraved in your mind.
When you run into a verb you're unsure about, open Loopy's dictionary to look up its correct spelling, pronunciation, and example sentences on the spot, allowing you to cross-reference them with the three rules. The shadowing feature lets you practice aloud with native speakers to say He is running. and She studied hard., helping you memorize the differences—like doubling short vowels or dropping the silent e—with your ears while learning with your eyes.
For the verbs you have learned, Loopy uses memory curve reviews to bring them back just as you are about to forget them. This allows easily confused transformations like study → studied and carry → carrying to reappear repeatedly until spelling them correctly becomes second nature. By building up step by step, you'll find that you never write runing again.