Question

1. for which of the following do you need to double the final consonant before adding the suffix?

○ cost + -ly
○ shop + -er
○ fear + -ing
○ limit + -ed

Explanation:

To determine when to double the final consonant before adding a suffix, we use the rule: double the final consonant if the word is a one - syllable word or a stressed - syllable word, ends with a single consonant, and the consonant is preceded by a single vowel.

• For "cost + -ly": "cost" is a one - syllable word, but when adding "-ly", we form "costly" without doubling the final consonant (because the "t" in "cost" is not in a position that requires doubling according to the more precise rule: the word has one vowel sound and one consonant at the end, but the suffix "-ly" is added in a way that doesn't trigger the doubling here. Also, "cost" has the vowel "o" and ends with "st", not a single consonant after a single vowel in the relevant sense for this rule).
• For "shop + -er": "shop" is a one - syllable word, has a single vowel "o" followed by a single consonant "p", and when adding the suffix "-er", we double the final consonant to get "shopper". This follows the rule of doubling the final consonant (one - syllable, single vowel followed by single consonant, adding a suffix).
• For "fear + -ing": "fear" ends with "ar", not a single consonant, so we don't double the final consonant. We form "fearing" without doubling.
• For "limit + -ed": "limit" has the stress on the first syllable ("lim - it"), and when adding "-ed", we do not double the final "t" (the rule for doubling in words with multiple syllables requires the stress to be on the last syllable for doubling the final consonant, which is not the case here).

Answer:

B. shop + -er