Lesson page 1
Word Study
SPELLING
Doubling Rule
Lexia Lessons
®
INSTRUCT
Display a column of one-syllable base words that have one vowel and one consonant at the
end (e.g., run, sad, star, swim, trot). Read each one and ask students to identify how the words
are alike. (Prompt students as necessary: Does this base word have one syllable? Does this base
word have one vowel? Does this base word end with one consonant?) Have students synthesize
their ideas to describe the set of base words.
Then, display a column of vowel suffixes (-ing, -ed, -er, -est). Ask students to identify how the suf-
fixes are alike. (Prompt students as necessary: Does each suffix begin with a consonant or a vowel?)
Demonstrate for students how a base word can be combined with a suffix to create a longer word
(derivative) that is used in a different way or has a different meaning. Spell each derivative or new
word (base word + suffix), calling out individual letters as you do so and emphasizing the doubled
consonant (runner, saddest, starring, swimming, trotted). Ask students to identify what you needed
to add when combining base words and suffixes. Discuss the meaning of the new word (e.g., a run-
ner runs, saddest is the most sad, starring is appearing as a featured star right now).
Tell students that these words follow the Doubling Rule.
State the rule: When a base word has one syllable, has one vowel, and has one consonant at
the end, double the final consonant before adding a vowel suffix.
Refer students to the Anchor Chart. Distribute copies for students to keep or have students
record the rule in a notebook.
PRACTICE
•
Give students copies of the Doubling Rule Checklist included with this lesson. Using the
Word Lists as a reference (see Lesson page 3), display one-syllable base words and suffixes,
one pair at a time. Have students record the word parts and then spell the derivative, or new
word, considering the four checkpoints as they decide whether to double the final consonant
in each base word.
•
Display or distribute copies of the Sample Text included with this lesson. Read the text with
the students and have them identify the words that follow the Doubling rule. For each word
that students locate, they should underline the original base word and circle the suffix.
•
Play a version of concentration with index cards color-coded as base words or suffixes
(include multiple copies of each suffix). Students earn a match if they turn over a base word
(stop) and a suffix (-ing) that create a real word (stopping). Students then write the real word,
applying the Doubling Rule as necessary.
PREPARE
CONCEPT
When a base word has one syllable,
has one vowel, and has one consonant at
the end, double the final consonant before
adding a vowel suffix. This is the Doubling Rule.
Learning the Doubling Rule helps students
spell words that cannot be spelled exactly as
they sound.
VOCABULARY
base word, derivative (i.e., new
word), consonant, suffix, syllable, vowel
MATERIALS
Lesson reproducibles, index
cards, word lists (included)
Lesson page 2
Lexia Lessons
®
Word Study
Spelling: Doubling Rule
ADAPT
SUPPORT
•
Say a variety of words that include suffixes
(e.g., chops, matches, rented, splitting).
Students should repeat these words and
then write only the base words.
•
Display a one-syllable base word (e.g.,
stun). Then display different suffixes, one at
a time. Have students practice combining
the base word with each suffix. Students
should refer to the four checkpoints as
they work through each example.
•
Display a vowel suffix (e.g., -ed), and
distribute index cards with one-syllable
base words to students. Have them sort
the words into groups: those that would
be doubled when the suffix is added
(e.g., pop) and those that would not be
doubled (e.g., jump). Students can then
write the words.
EXTEND
•
Dictate combined base words and
suffixes, some that require students to
double the final consonant in the base
word and some that do not (e.g., blinking,
cramming, slams, trotted, winner). Have
students write each word.
•
Challenge students to apply the Doubling
Rule when adding suffixes to nonwords.
Display a variety of word sums (e.g., smeg +
ing; plend + ed) for students to complete.
CONNECT
•
Have students find examples of words that use the Doubling Rule in content area texts. Share
them as a group.
Lesson page 3
Lexia Lessons
®
Word Study
Spelling: Doubling Rule
WORD LISTS
These lists build on each other.
LEVEL 3: -ed = /ed/, -ing
1 SYLLABLE
Doubled
bat (batted, batting), blot (blotted, blotting), chat (chatted, chatting), chop (chopping),
clip (clipping), dim (dimming), drop (dropping), fit (fitted, fitting),
fret (fretted, fretting),
grip (gripping), grit (gritted, gritting), jab (jabbing), kid (kidded, kidding), mop (mopping),
net (netted, netting), nod (nodded, nodding), pad (padded, padding), pat (patted, patting),
pet (petted, petting), plan (planning), plod (plodded, plodding), plot (plotted, plotting),
prod (prodded, prodding), quit (quitting), rip (ripping), rub (rubbing),
run (running),
scrub (scrubbing), ship (shipping), shop (shopping), skid (skidded, skidding),
skim (skimming), skip (skipping), sled (sledded, sledding), slim (slimming),
slot (slotted, slotting), snap (snapping), spot (spotted, spotting), stop (stopping),
strut (strutted, strutting), tan (tanning), trim (trimming), trot (trotted, trotting),
wed (wedded, wedding), win (winning)
Not Doubled
band (banded, banding), blend (blended, blending), bond (bonded, bonding),
brand (branded, branding), bunt (bunted, bunting), chomp (chomping),
craft (crafted, crafting), crest (crested, cresting), dent (dented, denting),
draft (drafted, drafting), drift (drifted, drifting), frost (frosted, frosting),
fund (funded, funding), grant (granted, granting), grunt (grunted, grunting),
hunt (hunted, hunting), lift (lifted, lifting), melt (melted, melting),
mend (mended, mending), mist (misted, misting), punt (punted, punting),
raft (rafted, rafting), rent (rented, renting), rust (rusted, rusting),
script (scripted, scripting), test (tested, testing), tilt (tilted, tilting),
tint (tinted, tinting), trend (trended, trending), trust (trusted, trusting),
twist (twisted, twisting), vent (vented, venting), vest (vested, vesting),
weld (welded, welding), wilt (wilted, wilting)
Lesson page 4
Lexia Lessons
®
Word Study
Spelling: Doubling Rule
WORD LISTS
These lists build on each other.
LEVEL 9: Level 3 + -ed = /t/, /d/; vowel-r; -y; -er; -est; -ish; -en
1 SYLLABLE
Doubled
ban (banned, banning), bar (barred, barring), bit (bitten),
chop (chopped, chopper, chopping), clip (clipped, clipper, clipping),
dim (dimmer, dimmest), drop (dropped, dropper, dropping), fat (fatten, fatter, fattest),
fit (fitted, fitter, fittest, fitting), flat (flatten, flatter, flattest, flattish),
glad (gladden, gladder, gladdest), grim (grimmer, grimmest),
grip (gripped, gripper, gripping), hid (hidden), hot (hotter, hottest), jar (jarred, jarring),
mad (madden, madder, maddest), mop (mopped, mopping), quit (quitter, quitting),
red (redden, redder, reddest, reddish), rip (ripped, ripping), sad (sadden, sadder, saddest),
scar (scarred, scarring), scrub (scrubbed, scrubber, scrubbing),
ship (shipped, shipping), slim (slimmed, slimmer, slimmest, slimming),
snap (snapped, snapping, snappy), snob (snobbish, snobby), spar (sparred, sparring),
star (starred, starring, starry), stir (stirred, stirring), stop (stopped, stopper, stopping),
trod (trodden), wet (wetter, wettest), wit (witty)
Not Doubled
burn (burned, burner, burning), crunch (crunched, crunching, crunchy),
crush (crushed, crusher, crushing), dark (darken, darker, darkest),
dust (dusted, duster, dusting, dusty), firm (firmer, firmest), fish (fished, fishing, fishy),
imp (impish), jump (jumped, jumper, jumping, jumpy), march (marched, marching),
mulch (mulched, mulching), park (parked, parking), part (parted, parting),
pump (pumped, pumping), punchy), rush (rushed, rushing), self (selfish),
sharp (sharpen, sharper, sharpest),
short (shorten, shorter, shortest),
smash (smashed, smashing), spark (sparked, sparking),
start (started, starter, starting),
thrash (thrashed, thrashing), turn (turned, turning)
Reproducible page 1
Lexia Lessons
®
Word Study
Spelling: Doubling Rule
ANCHOR CHART
When a base word has one syllable,has
one vowel, and has one consonant at the
end, double the final consonant before
adding a vowel suffix.
CHECKPOINTS
❏ 1 syllable
❏ 1 vowel
❏ 1 consonant at the end
❏ vowel suffix
Doubling Rule
swim
ming
saddest
runner
trot
ted
base
word
Reproducible page 2
Lexia Lessons
®
Word Study
Spelling: Doubling Rule
DOUBLING RULE CHECKLIST
Use this checklist or create your own.
BASE WORD
BASE WORD + SUFFIX 1 SYLLABLE 1 VOWEL 1 CONSONANT VOWEL SUFFIX DERIVATIVE / NEW WORD
run + ing
W W W W
running
sprain + ed
W W W
sprained
chomp + ing
W W W
chomping
drip + s
W W W
drips
star + ed
W W W W
starred
Reproducible page 3
Lexia Lessons
®
Word Study
Spelling: Doubling Rule
SAMPLE TEXT
CONCEPT 3
The Party
By the time the party began, my mother and I had put in a long day. There had been a
lot of planning and shopping for this party. We spent the morning scrubbing, mopping,
dusting, and setting out dishes. We were getting everything ready for friends and
family. But once all the people were here, Mom and I were glad we had done all that
work. Gramps and Grandmom were grinning as everyone kidded them about their big
day. There was a lot of hugging from the family. Everyone got to look at photos of them
at their wedding long ago. Gramps gave a speech about his luck at meeting Grandmom
and his "50 years of wedded bliss." Grandmom nodded and patted his hand.
Then Grandmom said what she always says when people come together: "Let's stop
gabbing and eat!"
