Gabrielly de Andrade
Why is "listening" not spelled "listenning"
I would like to understand why is "listening" not spelled "listenning" ?

Listen is a verb terminated with consonant + vowel + consonant (cvc) and according to the rules of present continuous we should double the last consonant
15 de ago. de 2020 0:19
Comentarios · 6
2
In addition to the long, detailed explanations linked to by the others, here is the simple answer: We don’t double the final consonant if the syllable is unstressed. For example: “beginning”. (Exception: UK speakers do indeed double a final “l” even if the syllable is unstressed, for example US: “traveling / UK: travelling.)

We also don't double the final consonant if the last vowel is "tense". You may be able to identify tense vowels by the presence of two vowel letters in the syllable ("lean" / "leaning"), or by the presence of a silent "e" in the base form (e.g. "base" / "basing").

16 de agosto de 2020
2
This may be the answer to your question:

1 In a word with 1 syllable, double the final consonant ONLY if the word ends in 1 vowel + 1 consonant. 

tip: He tipped the waiter. /He isn't tipping the waiter. 
cram: The students crammed for the test. /The students were cramming for the test. 
regret: Carl regretted the things he had said. /Carl was regretting the things he had said.


2 In a word with 2 or more syllables, double the final consonant ONLY if the word ends in
1 vowel + 1 consonant AND the final syllable is stressed.

vote: voted, voting (vote ends in a vowel)
instruct: instructed, instructing (instruct ends in 2 consonants)
listen: listened, listening (listen has 2 syllables and the final syllable is not stressed)

 
3 At the end of a word, don’t count w, x, or y as a consonant.



source:

15 de agosto de 2020
1
I meant to say:

In addition to the long explanations linked to by the others, here is the simple answer: We don’t double the final consonant if the syllable is unstressed. For example: “watering”, as opposed to a verb where the final syllable is stressed: “beginning”. (Exception: UK speakers do indeed double a final “l” even if the syllable is unstressed, for example US: “traveling / UK: travelling.)

16 de agosto de 2020
1
15 de agosto de 2020
1
Good question! You've got the first half of the rule there, but there's more to it.

<ol><li>In a word with 1 syllable, double the final consonant ONLY if the word ends in 1 vowel + 1 consonant. </li><li>In a word with 2 or more syllables, double the final consonant ONLY if the word ends in 1 vowel + 1 consonant AND the final syllable is stressed. </li><li>At the end of a word, don’t count w, x, or y as a consonant.</li></ol>

Listen has 2 syllables and the second isn't stressed (/ə/ is never stressed), so it's exempt from the doubling rule. You can see the same pattern in verbs like cower, reveal, carpet.
15 de agosto de 2020
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