The key idea
The learner can use a spelling rule before writing a plural, a past tense or an -ing form, instead of guessing.
What is it for?
Learn simple spelling rules for plurals, past tense, and -ing forms. Use these rules when writing and checking short texts.
What you need to know
- Add -s to most plurals and he, she, or it verbs.
- Use -es after s, x, ch, and sh.
- Change consonant + y to -ies or -ied when needed.
- Learn when to add -ed, double a letter, or drop silent e.
- Check confusing words and keep a list of spelling mistakes.
1. Plurals and he, she, it
Most plural nouns take -s. Most verbs after he, she, or it also take -s. Some words need a different ending.
- Add -s to most nouns: book → books.
- Add -s to most verbs: she works.
- Add -es after s, x, ch, and sh: bus → buses; watch → watches.
- Change consonant + y to -ies: baby → babies; study → studies.
- Some plurals are different: child → children; person → people.
The girl watches two buses.
Watch takes -es. Bus becomes buses. Girl is singular.
He studies English every day.
Study changes to studies because a consonant comes before y.
Three children play outside.
Child has the irregular plural children.
2. Past simple spelling
Regular verbs often take -ed in the past. Check the last letters before adding the ending.
- Add -d when the verb ends in silent e: live → lived.
- Add -ed to most other regular verbs: clean → cleaned.
- Change consonant + y to -ied: study → studied.
- Double the last consonant in some short words: stop → stopped.
- Learn common irregular forms: go → went; buy → bought; eat → ate.
We lived near the school.
Live ends in silent e, so add -d.
She studied after lunch.
Study changes to studied because a consonant comes before y.
The bus stopped near our house.
Stop doubles p before -ed.
3. Spelling -ing forms
Use -ing for actions happening now or around this time. The last letters can change.
- Add -ing to most verbs: work → working.
- Drop silent e before -ing: make → making.
- Double the last consonant in some short words: run → running.
- Change ie to y before -ing: lie → lying.
- Check the whole word before you write it.
I am making lunch.
Make loses its silent e before -ing.
The children are running.
Run doubles n before -ing.
He is lying on the sofa.
Lie changes ie to y before -ing.
4. Words that sound alike
Some words sound alike but have different meanings. Check the meaning before you choose one.
- To shows direction or purpose: We go to school.
- Too means also or more than needed: I want one too.
- Your shows that something belongs to you: Your bag is here.
- You're means you are: You're very kind.
- Its shows that something belongs to an animal or thing: The dog eats its food.
- It's means it is: It's cold today.
- There shows a place or introduces something: The shop is there.
- Their shows that something belongs to people: Their house is big.
You're taking your bag to school.
You're means you are. Your shows who owns the bag. To shows direction.
It's a dog, and its ears are long.
It's means it is. Its shows that the ears belong to the dog.
Their books are over there.
Their shows ownership. There shows a place.
5. Check your spelling
Do not guess when you are unsure. Use the word and its meaning to choose the right spelling.
- Say the word slowly. Listen to its parts.
- Look at the last letters of the base word.
- Choose the rule that fits the word.
- Check irregular words in a dictionary or word list.
- Write down your own mistakes and review them later.
Yesterday, I stopped the bus.
Stop doubles p before -ed.
She is writing a message.
Write loses silent e before -ing.
I bought two books.
Buy has the irregular past form bought.
How to do it, step by step
- Write the base word first.
- Look at the word's ending.
- Choose the spelling rule.
- Write the new form.
- Read the sentence again and check it.
Formulas and key language
| Use it for | Example | Another example |
|---|---|---|
| noun + -s | one apple → two apples | one chair → three chairs |
| verb + -es after s, x, ch, or sh | watch → watches | wash → washes |
| consonant + y → -ies | baby → babies | study → studies |
| silent e + -d | live → lived | dance → danced |
| consonant + y → -ied | try → tried | carry → carried |
| short verb with final consonant: double + -ed | stop → stopped | plan → planned |
| silent e: remove e + -ing | make → making | write → writing |
| short verb with final consonant: double + -ing | run → running | sit → sitting |
| ie → ying | lie → lying | die → dying |
UK / US: Some words have different British and American spellings, such as colour and color. This lesson focuses on spelling rules shared by both forms.
Model text
A Busy Weekend
Saturday morning
On Saturday, I visited my cousins. We stopped at two shops and bought some apples. My cousin studied for a test.
Visited and stopped use past forms. Shops and apples use plural -s. Studied changes y to -ied. Bought is irregular.
Saturday afternoon
Later, we made lunch and watched a film. Now it is evening. My sister is running in the garden, and I am writing messages.
Made is irregular. Watched adds -ed. Running doubles n. Writing drops silent e.
Sunday
On Sunday, the children played games. Their dog is lying near the door. It's a friendly dog, and it likes our family.
Children is irregular. Played adds -ed. Lying changes ie to y. Their shows ownership. It's means it is. Likes adds -s.
Common mistakes
✗ She watchs TV every evening.
✓ She watches TV every evening.
Watch ends in ch, so add -es.
✗ Yesterday, he studed at home.
✓ Yesterday, he studied at home.
Study changes y to i before -ed.
✗ The bus stoped here.
✓ The bus stopped here.
Stop doubles p before -ed.
✗ I am makeing dinner.
✓ I am making dinner.
Make loses silent e before -ing.
✗ Your going to school.
✓ You're going to school.
You're means you are. Your shows ownership.
✗ The cat is washing it's face.
✓ The cat is washing its face.
Its shows that the face belongs to the cat.
Plan it, then check it
Plan
- Write your sentences first.
- Circle plural nouns and verbs with endings.
- Check each base word and choose its rule.
- Look up irregular forms when needed.
Check
- Check plural nouns ending in -s, -es, or -ies.
- Check past verbs ending in -ed or irregular forms.
- Check -ing forms for missing or extra letters.
- Check to, too, your, you're, its, it's, there, and their.
- Add each new mistake to your personal list.
Practice
Write the correct form
Write the correct plural, past, or -ing form of the word in brackets.
1.Yesterday, she (stop) the bus.
Stop doubles p before -ed.
2.He (study) English every evening.
Study changes y to i before -es.
3.We bought three (box) at the shop.
Box ends in x, so add -es.
4.My sister is (make) a cake now.
Make loses silent e before -ing.
5.Last night, they (dance) at home.
Dance ends in silent e, so add -d.
6.The children are (run) in the garden.
Run doubles n before -ing.
7.One baby is here. Two (baby) are outside.
Baby changes y to i before -es.
8.Yesterday, I (buy) some bread.
Buy has the irregular past form bought.
Choose the correct spelling
Choose the correctly spelled word or phrase.
1.She ___ her room every Saturday.
Clean takes -s after she.
2.Yesterday, we ___ the bus.
Stop doubles p before -ed.
3.He is ___ a letter.
Write loses silent e before -ing.
4.There are three ___ on the table.
Dish ends in sh, so add -es.
5.My brother ___ a new bag yesterday.
Buy has the irregular past form bought.
6.___ going to the shop now.
You're means you are.
Fix the spelling mistake
Rewrite each sentence with the spelling mistake corrected.
1.My sister watchs TV after dinner.
Watch ends in ch, so add -es.
2.We studed English yesterday.
Study changes y to i before -ed.
3.The dog is runing in the garden.
Run doubles n before -ing.
4.I am makeing lunch now.
Make loses silent e before -ing.
5.There are two childs in the room.
Child has the irregular plural children.
6.Your very kind to my family.
You're means you are. Your shows ownership.
Match the rule and the word
Match each spelling rule with the correct example word.
1.Add -es after sh
2.Change consonant + y to -ies
3.Double the last consonant before -ed
4.Drop silent e before -ing
5.Change ie to y before -ing
Now write
Your task
Write a short text about what you did last weekend. Write 6-8 sentences. Then check every plural, past tense, and -ing word with the rules.
Word bank
visitedplayedstoppedstudiedboughtmadeshopsfriendschildrenrunningmakingwritingwatchedwent
Sentence starters
- Last Saturday, I...
- In the morning, we...
- After lunch, I...
- My friends...
- On Sunday, we...
- In the evening, I...