Adding suffixes: the three core spelling change rules
Year group: 2
Source: DfE, English Appendix 1: Spelling, National Curriculum for England (2013) — Year 2
Curriculum requirement: Statutory
Purpose: Year 2 guide to adding suffixes and the spelling changes they trigger — doubling, dropping e, y→i — with rules and practice activities.
Introduction
Year 2 establishes three rules that children will use for the rest of their lives. Every suffix-adding decision in KS2 and beyond builds on these three foundations.
Rule 1: The doubling rule (CVC + vowel suffix)
When to double: a word ends in a single consonant after a single short vowel, AND the suffix begins with a vowel.
run + -ing = running (short /ʌ/, single n → double)
hop + -ed = hopped (short /ɒ/, single p → double)
big + -er = bigger (short /ɪ/, single g → double)
When NOT to double:
- Two vowels before the consonant: read + -ing = reading (not readding)
- Two consonants at end: jump + -ed = jumped (not jumppped)
- Consonant suffix: help + -ful = helpful (no doubling — -ful starts with a consonant)
The CVC check:
| Word | Consonant | Vowel | Consonant | Double? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| run | — | u | n | YES |
| read | — | ea (two) | d | NO |
| jump | — | u | mp (two) | NO |
| plan | — | a | n | YES |
| rain | — | ai (two) | n | NO |
CVC + vowel suffix examples
| Base | + -ing | + -ed | + -er | + -est |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| run | running | ran (irregular) | runner | — |
| hop | hopping | hopped | hopper | — |
| big | — | — | bigger | biggest |
| swim | swimming | — | swimmer | — |
| plan | planning | planned | planner | — |
| flat | flattest | — | flatter | flattest |
| sit | sitting | — | sitter | — |
| step | stepping | stepped | — | — |
| nap | napping | napped | — | — |
| red | — | — | redder | reddest |
| thin | thinning | thinned | thinner | thinnest |
Rule 2: The drop-the-e rule (silent final e + vowel suffix)
When to drop the e: a word ends in a silent e, AND the suffix begins with a vowel.
make + -ing = making (drop the e)
nice + -er = nicer (drop the e)
brave + -est = bravest (drop the e)
Why: The silent e is doing a job — making the vowel before it long (mAke, nIce, brAve). When the vowel suffix arrives, it takes over that job. The silent e is no longer needed, so we drop it.
When NOT to drop the e: if the suffix begins with a consonant, keep the e.
nice + -ly = nicely (keep e — -ly starts with consonant)
brave + -ly = bravely (keep e)
hope + -ful = hopeful (keep e)
care + -less = careless (keep e)
Drop-the-e examples
| Base | + -ing | + -ed | + -er | + -est | + -ly (keep e) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| make | making | made | — | — | — |
| like | liking | liked | — | — | — |
| nice | — | — | nicer | nicest | nicely |
| safe | — | — | safer | safest | safely |
| love | loving | loved | — | — | lovely |
| hope | hoping | hoped | — | — | hopeful |
| use | using | used | — | — | useful |
| skate | skating | skated | — | — | — |
| smile | smiling | smiled | — | — | — |
| shine | shining | shined/shone | shiner | — | — |
Rule 3: The -y to -i rule
When to change y to i: a word ends in consonant + y, AND you add any suffix except -ing.
happy + -ness = happiness (consonant p before y → change y to i)
cry + -ed = cried (consonant r before y → change y to i)
cry + -ing = crying (keep y before -ing — always)
busy + -ness = business
When NOT to change:
- If the suffix is -ing: try + -ing = trying (never triing)
- If the word ends in vowel + y: play + -ed = played (vowel before y — no change)
-y to -i examples
| Base | + -ed | + -er | + -est | + -ness | + -ly | + -ing (keep y) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| happy | — | happier | happiest | happiness | happily | — (adjectives don't take -ing) |
| cry | cried | — | — | — | — | crying |
| try | tried | — | — | — | — | trying |
| carry | carried | carrier | — | — | — | carrying |
| busy | — | busier | busiest | business | busily | busying |
| heavy | — | heavier | heaviest | — | heavily | heaving (different) |
| easy | — | easier | easiest | — | easily | easing |
| tidy | tidied | tidier | tidiest | tidiness | tidily | tidying |
| angry | — | angrier | angriest | — | angrily | — |
The three rules together — a decision tree
Adding a suffix. What type?
Does the suffix begin with a VOWEL (-ing, -ed, -er, -est)?
YES:
Does the base word end in silent -e?
YES → DROP the e (making, nicer, bravest)
NO:
Does the base word end in CVC pattern?
YES → DOUBLE the final consonant (running, hopped, bigger)
NO → Add directly (jumping, reading, helped)
Does the suffix begin with a CONSONANT (-ly, -ful, -less, -ment, -ness)?
YES:
Does the base word end in consonant + y?
YES → CHANGE y to i (happiness, busily, angrily)
NO → Add directly (nicely, hopeful, careless)
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Rule broken |
|---|---|---|
| runing | running | CVC → double |
| makeing | making | drop the e |
| hapyness | happiness | y → i before -ness |
| cring | crying | keep y before -ing |
| nicer (from nice) | nicer | correct! ✓ |
| hopeful (from hope) | hopeful | correct — consonant suffix, keep e ✓ |
| jumppping | jumping | don't double after two consonants |
Word sort
Apply the correct rule and write the new word.
| Base + suffix | New word (write it) | Rule used |
|---|---|---|
| swim + -ing | ||
| make + -er | ||
| happy + -est | ||
| jump + -ed | ||
| shine + -ing | ||
| try + -ing | ||
| carry + -ed | ||
| hope + -ful | ||
| plan + -ed | ||
| easy + -ly |
Dictation sentences
- She was running and swimming all morning, and felt happier than ever.
- Carrying the heavier box was easier than she had expected.
- He was smiling as he tried and tried again until he succeeded.
- The busiest part of planning was making sure everyone was informed.
- It was nicely wrapped and tidily placed on the table.
Source: DfE English Appendix 1: Spelling (2013). All rules stated as per the statutory document. Examples verified against Year 2 statutory content.
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