Second Grade · Reading · week 21

Suffix -ing: Drop It or Double It?

Read and spell words with the suffix -ing, applying the drop-the-e and double-the-consonant spelling rules.

The suffix -ing shows something is happening right now: jump becomes jumping. Two spelling changes are worth knowing. If the base word ends in a silent e, drop the e before adding -ing: make becomes making.

If the base word is short, with one vowel and one ending consonant, double that consonant before adding -ing: run becomes running. If neither rule applies, like jump, just add -ing plain.

📋 For the teacher
Teach it (10–15 min):
  • Teach the two checks in order: does the word end in silent e? Drop it. Is it short, with one vowel and one ending consonant? Double it.
  • Contrast hope/hoping with hop/hopping side by side so the two rules stay separate in your child's mind.
  • When neither rule applies, like jump or read, just add -ing plain and move on.
  • Practice both out loud and in writing, since these are spelling rules as much as reading ones, and spelling out an -ing word is good practice either way.
Talk about it:
  • When do you drop the e before adding -ing?
  • When do you double the last consonant?
  • Why does hope become hoping instead of hopeing?

Mastery looks like: They correctly apply the drop-e and double-consonant rules when adding -ing to a base word.

Common stumbles: Forgetting to drop the silent e, which leaves two vowels in a row, like hopeing.

See it visually

Interactive, spoken-aloud tools that show this idea in motion.

Prefixes & SuffixesAdd un-, re-, -ful, -less and watch a word’s meaning change.try →
Homework for this lessonType it, write it with a stylus, or print it for pencil & paper.open →
Records attendance + 15 min of Reading for this learner.
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