When we learn a new language, spelling can often trip us up. Words in English can sometimes have more than one acceptable spelling variant, making it confusing for learners. But for some words, there’s only one correct way to spell them. Let’s look at how we spell the verb form of ‘prefer’.
The correct spelling is preferring. In English, when a verb ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant, and the stress is on the final syllable, you double the consonant before adding -ing. For example, in the verb “refer,” the stress is on the second syllable, so it becomes “referring.”
This rule helps maintain the original vowel sound. So, when you use the verb “prefer,” which also stresses the second syllable, you write “preferring” when changing it to the present participle or gerund form. This keeps the ‘e’ sound short, as in “prefer.”
Understanding the Correct Spelling
When you want to describe liking someone or something better than another, you use the word ‘prefer’. But when you’re talking about doing this more often or in a continuous sense, you might want to use the continuous tense, like “preferring”. Now, how do we spell that correctly?
Only one form is accepted in standard English for this verb in its continuous tense, and that is with a double ‘r’. However, one might wonder, why do we double the ‘r’ in ‘preferring’ and not keep it as ‘prefering’? This doubling happens because of a rule in English spelling that affects how we write verbs that end in one vowel followed by one consonant.
The Rule of Doubling Final Consonants
This might sound a bit tricky, but it’s pretty straightforward. Here’s the rule: when a one-syllable verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC), and you want to add a suffix starting with a vowel, you double the last consonant. For example:
- Sit becomes sitting.
- Run becomes running.
Prefer follows a similar pattern. Even though it has more syllables, the final part of the word (‘fer’) ends in a CVC pattern. So, according to the rule, when we add ‘-ing’ to ‘prefer’, we double the ‘r’ and get ‘preferring’.
Real-Life Examples
Seeing real-life examples can help solidify your understanding. Let’s see this rule in action:
- I am preferring tea over coffee these days because it makes me feel less jittery.
- She keeps preferring the blue dress whenever we go out.
Exceptions and Confusions
Exceptions always make things a bit more interesting, don’t they? Luckily, with this rule, there aren’t many exceptions. However, confusion can still arise. For instance, if the verb ends in two consonants like ‘cancel’, only one ‘l’ is used when saying ‘canceled’ in American English. In British English, though, they say ‘cancelled’.
Likewise, if the last syllable isn’t stressed in pronunciation, we don’t double the consonant. Look at ‘visit’. We don’t say ‘visitted’; we say ‘visited’.
Practical Tips for Remembering
Remembering all these rules can seem daunting, but here are a few tips:
- Practice writing new words in sentences.
- Read regularly. Seeing words in context helps reinforce their spelling.
- Use mnemonic devices. For ‘preferring’, you might think: “Prefer really enjoys doubling its ‘r’s”.
When in doubt, look it up. Using a dictionary can clear up confusion and confirm the correct spelling.
Why Is Accurate Spelling Important?
Accurate spelling isn’t just about rules; it’s about communication. When we spell correctly, our writing is clearer. This makes it easier for everyone to understand what we are saying, which is especially important in professional settings.
Conclusion
So, is it ‘prefering’ or ‘preferring’? The correct and widely accepted form is with the double ‘r’—’preferring.’
Learning English spelling rules like these might require a little bit of patience and a lot of practice. But once you get them down, you’ll be better at understanding not just the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’ behind these rules. And that makes learning English a lot more enjoyable and effective.
Remember, every part of learning a new language opens a door to becoming more fluent. So keep practicing, and before you know it, you’ll be spelling like a pro!
Did this make the concept clear? Always feel free to look back at these explanations whenever you’re in doubt. Happy learning.
