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(2001-06-18)
"double letter"
in adding "ing" or "ed"
Dear Dr. Tan,
I am Chinese-educated and had obtained "O" level certificate in 1978. I am currently working as an Accounts Manager and need to write reports to explain the Company's financial situation and my views in monthly reports.
I understand that you have written some books on English Grammar. May I know where I can buy them?
I always have difficulties in writing correct English. May you kindly advise me how I can improve and rectify my problems?
I have another question: when adding "ing" or "ed" to verbs, how would we know when we should double the last letter?
For example:
plan-planning-planned (when to use double "n"?)
play-playing-played (why not this)
write-writing-written (only in past participle)
Is there a rule to apply or do we have to memorise by heart?
Does any one of your books cover the correct usage of English grammar like the above examples?
If yes, please let me know the title of the book, and please tell what books are useful for me.
Sorry for asking you so many questions and thank you for your kind attention and help.
Best regards
Carrie Lim Eng Lan
Carrie：
I refer to your question about the use of "double letter" in some words. Some grammar books have touched on this point. As a rule, if a word, be it verb, noun or adjective, ends in a consonant, like "plan, hop, fat", it needs a double letter. Hence "planned/ planning; hopped/ hopping; fatter/ fattest". This is especially true of one-syllabic words. If there is more than one syllable and the final consonant is stressed, then this consonant also needs a double letter, such as "upset- upsetting, refer- referred/ referring". Besides, there are some differences between the British English (BE) and the American English (AE), as in
| BE |
AE |
① travelling/
traveller
② colour
③ centre
|
traveling/
traveler
color
center
|
As regards my books, I am sure the following two will serve your purpose:
① Practical English Grammar For Secondary Levels
② Practical English Vocabulary For Secondary Levels
For further information, please call Singapore Asian Publications (S) Pte. Ltd. at 2768280.
Tan Cheng Lim
| 陈清霖博士，国大英语教学中心高级教研员。毕业于前南洋大学
现代语言文学系，并考获英国伦敦大学校外荣誉学士学位、美国印第
安纳大学语言学硕士学位、国立大学中／英翻译博士。著作丰富。
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