• 4th Grade
  • Writing
  • About 10 minutes

Double Letters

Add the prefix to the word, keeping every letter. Write the new word. Does it have a double letter where the parts meet? Circle yes or no.

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This is sheet #168724601.

How to do it

  1. Add the prefix to the word, keeping every letter.
  2. Write the new word.
  3. Circle whether it has a double letter.

Teaching tip

A prefix never changes the word it's added to. Every letter of both parts stays. This sheet is aligned with Common Core L.4.2d.

Double Letters worksheet for 4th grade (spelling with roots), free printable
Printable preview

About this worksheet

Prefix and word pairs like mis + spell and dis + agree to put together, then mark whether the new word has a double letter. Fewer, Standard or More give 8, 10 or 12. Includes an answer key.

What kids practice

Many longer words are built from a root plus a prefix or a suffix, like inspect, transportation and visible. A root is spelled the same way in every word, so learning it once helps with many words. A few rules cover what happens when parts are added: keep every letter when you add a prefix, drop a silent e or change y to i before some suffixes, and choose between endings like -able and -ible or -tion and -sion.

Watch for

  • Dropping a letter when a prefix makes a double letter, like mispell for misspell.
  • Keeping the silent e before a vowel suffix, like createion.
  • Forgetting to change y to i, like happyness.
  • Spelling a root the way it sounds instead of the way it's built, like microscop or autograf.

It's free to print, with Fewer, Standard or More on the page and an answer key. See the full spelling with roots guide for 4th grade.

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