Can I teach double letters in the middle of a word by saying that the 2nd letter belongs to the end bit?

[Twiglett]

ie

Swim

but Swimming because its Swim + ming

Run + ning = Running

or is this a rule that won't in general stand up

DS gets it but I don't want to labour the point if it will cause problems in the long run (and I'm not a teacher)

I've got a feeling it's to do with the length of the vowel in the first part of the word.

Short vowel requires a double consonant in the middle? Does that make sense?

sail -> sailing
walk -> walking
can -> canning

maybe its only a rule with 'm' and 'n'

OK:

Rule 1
If the word ends in two consonants (like jump) or a long vowel and one consonant (like speak), just add the suffix.
e.g. jump, speak, kind, stand, sail, ski

Rule 2
If the word ends ina short vowel and one consonant, double the consonant and add the suffix.
e.g. big, hop, swim, run, skip

Rule 3
If the word ends in -e, drop the e and add the suffix.
e.g. brave, take, dive, sledge, ride
(Exceptions dyeing, being, seeing)

IIRC I used to teach Y2s that if a word ended in CVC, then you doubled the last consonant when adding 'ing'. Anything else, and you don't. Does that sound right? (it's been a while....)

I think your rule does make sense, in a way.

If there were only one consonant in the middle the first vowel would be pronounced as a long vowel (in so far as English has pronunciation rules).

So suning would be sune-ing
and runing would be rune-ing (something to do with Elves I guess!)

thank you

although I don't geddit

but thank you

what's the CVC gladbag?

Consonant-Vowel-Consonant

CVC words are the easy ones they learn first like cat, ran, dad etc

consonant vowel consonant - so if a word ends with cvc, then double the final consonant when adding 'ing'

tan - cvc - tanning
peg - cvc - pegging
sit - cvc - sitting
swig - ccvc - swigging
drum - ccvc - drumming
strap - cccvc - strapping