Spelling of verb +ing

Category: Spelling

Rules to change verbs into -ing forms of verbs and gerunds

The general rule when changing a verb into its -ing form is just to add -ing to the end of the verb.

Infinitive	-ing form
To eat	eating
To go	going
To do	doing
To sleep	sleeping
To read	reading
To listen	listening
To cook	cooking
To feel	feeling
To work	working

Spelling exceptions

Rule #1: Silent -e

Verbs that end in a silent “e”, remove the -e and add -ing.

Infinitive	-ing form​
To believe	believing
To come	coming
To dance	dancing
To have	having
To live	living
To love	loving
To make	making
To move	moving
To ride	riding
To skate	skating
To smile	smiling
To take	taking
To write	writing

Rule #2: Long -e sound

Verbs that end with a long -e sound, add -ing.

Infinitive	-ing form
To be	being
To agree	agreeing
To see	seeing

Rule #3: -ie

Verbs that end in “ie”, change -ie to -y and add -ing.

Infinitive	-ing form
To die	dying
To lie	lying
To tie	tying
To vie	vying

Rule #4: One-syllable CVC

One-syllable verbs that end in a consonant-vowel-consonant, double the final consonant and add -ing.

Infinitive	-ing form
To run	running
To sit	sitting
to get	getting
To swim	swimming
To stop	stopping

Rule #5: Two-syllable and last syllable is stressed

Two-syllable verbs that the 2nd syllable is stressed, double the final consonant and add -ing

Infinitive	-ing form
To begin	beginning
To forget	forgetting
To prefer	preferring

​However, when the last syllable is not stressed, just add -ing as usual:

• HAP-pen - happening.
• LIS-ten - listening.
• O-pen - opening.

​​

Rule #6: w-x-y

Verbs that end in “w”, "x" or “y”, do not double the final consonant

Infinitive	-ing form
To enjoy	enjoying
To fix	fixing
To play	playing
To snow	snowing
To study	studying

Rule #7: -ic

Verbs that end in “ic”, add -k before -ing

Infinitive	-ing form
To traffic	trafficking
To picnic	picnicking
To panic	panicking

Rule #8: C-V-"L"

Verbs that end consonant-vowel-“L”, double the -L and add -ing

Note: In US, do not double the -L

Infinitive	-ing form (UK)	-ing form (US)
To travel	travelling	traveling
To cancel	cancelling	canceling

Exercise

Rewrite the following verbs in -ing form. Look at the example.

For example:
             To play => playing
​

1. To read ________________
2. To go ________________
3. To skate ________________
4. To swim ________________
5. To die ________________
6. To ride ________________
7. To be ________________
8. To do ________________
9. To panic ________________
10. To study ________________

Online exercises

Exercise 01 - Verbs + -ing

Exercise 02 - Likes and dislikes  (Verbs -ing)