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3.09 Final consonants doubled before a suffix

Double the final consonant before y or before a suffix beginning with a vowel in a word of one syllable that ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel:

  • bed
    • bedded
  • dip
    • dipped
  • fat
    • fatty
  • fit
    • fitted
  • flit
    • flitting
  • gum
    • gummy
  • log
    • logged
  • mad
    • madden
  • rot
    • rotted
  • scrub
    • scrubbing
  • sit
    • sitting
  • stop
    • stopping

Exceptions

Do not double the final consonant in a word of one syllable if the vowel sound is long:

  • boat
    • boating
  • light
    • lighten
  • stoop
    • stooped
  • read
    • reading

Note that the preferred plural spelling of the noun bus is buses.

The final consonant is doubled in words of more than one syllable ending in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, if the accent is on the last syllable and the suffix begins with a vowel:

  • acquit
    • acquittal
  • commit
    • committal
  • occur
    • occurrence
  • rebel
    • rebellion
  • regret
    • regretted
  • transmit
    • transmitted

Note that there is no doubling of the consonant in targeted and benefited.