Suffixes -ing, -ed, -er, -est: when the base word doesn't change
Year group: 1
Source: DfE, English Appendix 1: Spelling, National Curriculum for England (2013) — Year 1
Curriculum requirement: Statutory
Purpose: Year 1 guide to adding -ing, -ed, and -er — when to double the consonant, drop the e, or just add the suffix, with examples and practice.
The rule
When a verb or adjective ends in two or more consonants, or when the vowel before the final consonant is long (or a vowel digraph), you add the suffix directly with no change to the base word.
jump + -ing = jumping (two consonants -mp, no change)
wait + -ed = waited (vowel digraph ai, no change)
fast + -er = faster (two consonants -st, no change)
loud + -est = loudest (vowel digraph ou, no change)
When does the base word NOT change?
The base word stays the same when:
- It ends in two consonants (jump, help, ask, turn, walk)
- It ends in a vowel digraph + consonant (wait, rain, look, need, feel)
- It ends in a long vowel sound before the consonant (keep, seem)
This is the simplest case. The Y2 rules (doubling and drop-the-e) deal with the trickier cases.
Examples: add directly, no change
-ing (actions happening now):
| Base verb | + -ing |
|---|---|
| jump | jumping |
| help | helping |
| walk | walking |
| talk | talking |
| wait | waiting |
| rain | raining |
| look | looking |
| play | playing |
| stay | staying |
| turn | turning |
| read | reading |
| keep | keeping |
| think | thinking |
| sleep | sleeping |
| clean | cleaning |
-ed (actions in the past):
| Base verb | + -ed |
|---|---|
| jump | jumped |
| help | helped |
| walk | walked |
| talk | talked |
| wait | waited |
| rain | rained |
| look | looked |
| play | played |
| stay | stayed |
| turn | turned |
| clean | cleaned |
| wash | washed |
| kick | kicked |
| push | pushed |
Note on -ed pronunciation: -ed can make three sounds:
- /t/ after unvoiced consonants: walked /wɔːkt/, kicked /kɪkt/
- /d/ after voiced consonants: turned /tɜːnd/, played /pleɪd/
- /ɪd/ after t or d: waited /weɪtɪd/, landed /lændɪd/
The spelling is always -ed regardless of pronunciation.
-er (comparing: more) and -est (comparing: most):
| Base adjective | + -er | + -est |
|---|---|---|
| fast | faster | fastest |
| loud | louder | loudest |
| long | longer | longest |
| tall | taller | tallest |
| short | shorter | shortest |
| cold | colder | coldest |
| warm | warmer | warmest |
| small | smaller | smallest |
| dark | darker | darkest |
| clean | cleaner | cleanest |
| sweet | sweeter | sweetest |
| bright | brighter | brightest |
| deep | deeper | deepest |
The three pronunciations of -ed
This is worth teaching explicitly so children don't write -t or -id endings:
| Sound | Happens after | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| /t/ | unvoiced consonant: k, p, s, f, ch, sh | walked, kicked, pushed, washed |
| /d/ | voiced consonant or vowel: n, l, r, b, g, v, m, z | turned, played, rained, cleaned |
| /ɪd/ | t or d | waited, landed, started, needed |
Regardless of sound, the spelling is always -ed.
Children who write walkt or playd or waitid are applying phonics logic. Praise the thinking, then teach the convention: -ed is always -ed for past tense.
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| walkt | walked | -ed not -t — past tense always -ed |
| playd | played | -ed not -d |
| waitid | waited | -ed not -id |
| jumppping | jumping | two consonants → no doubling, just add |
| helpest | most helpful | helpful takes most, not -est |
Word sort
Add the suffix. Write the new word. Sort by which pronunciation -ed makes.
Words + suffix: jump+ed · walk+ed · wait+ed · play+ed · kick+ed · turn+ed · land+ed · wash+ed · rain+ed · start+ed
| -ed = /t/ | -ed = /d/ | -ed = /ɪd/ |
|---|---|---|
Dictation sentences
- She jumped over the puddle and kept walking quickly.
- They played in the rain and stayed outside until dark.
- He waited at the gate while she cleaned the tallest windows.
- The brightest stars appeared as the sky grew darker.
- She looked at the fastest runner and cheered the loudest.
Source: DfE English Appendix 1: Spelling (2013). All examples verified against Year 1 statutory content.