DOUBLING 2

(A) STRAIGHT STROKES

A straight stroke can be doubled when it has:

An initial circle S:
 

spatter spatters splutter sceptre spider speeder

spreader straighter scatter skater scooter sector

A final N or F/V hook. As with halving, the stroke and its hook are read first, then the doubling sound, then any final S:
 

pain paint painter painters

sprain sprint sprinter sprinters
 

ponder plunder printer splinter splendour
 

binder blender tender dander

chanter chunter gender render/renter surrender
 

kinder counter grander granter
 

wonder winter hunter yonder

dafter drifter crofter grafter rafter wafter

Another stroke before it:
 

operator chapter repeater creditor

tractor director educator instigator
 

captor persuader dissuader

A final joined diphthong:
 

powder prouder touter doubter chowder
 

pewter disputer tutor/Tudor

When Circle S is added, a final joined diphthong can no longer be joined, therefore the doubling cannot be done:
 

powders doubters tutors Tudors

(B) Doubling not used:

A plain straight stroke, or one with only an initial hook, is not doubled:
 

patter plotter plodder better bother brighter

broader brother totter trader debtor auditor
 

chatter jotter cater crater clutter gather
 

router reader water wider weather heater
 

Note that Way and Hay count as plain strokes.

A plain straight stroke is not doubled because it would look similar to words like the following, where there is two of the same stroke:
 

pop bob tatty daddy judge

cake cookie gig rare

(C) There are a few outlines that do end up identical in shape (although not always identical in position) and these must be differentiated by inserting the vowels:
 

pippin ponder, bobbin binder

baboon banter, deaden dander
 

cocoon condor uproar operator

yarn yonder, heron hunter

In compound words, a plain straight stroke can be doubled for words that would not be doubled if alone, as there is more information in the whole outline:

step-brother backbiter foregather ingather

(D) Ing

Use Dot Ing where stroke Ing would not join well or at all:
 

pandering pondering plundering splintering
 

tendering cantering surrendering hindering

wondering powdering tutoring embroidering

(E) -ture

Doubling is used for -ture in a few words, in order to get a convenient outline that cannot be misread for anything else:
 

picture fracture

structure structural structurally

Special Outline

typewriter typewriting typewritten

Short Forms
 

wonderful-ly rather/writer*

* This stretches the rules of doubling to gain a convenient outline, as a plain stroke Ray would not be doubled, although some books list this as a contraction consisting of two of stroke Ray.
 

Contraction

machinery*

* Optional  contraction

Phrase

all sorts of

SUMMARY

• Straight strokes are only doubled if they have an initial Circle S, a final hook, or come after another stroke: spatter ponder operator

• Doubled if it has a final joined diphthong: powder

• Doubling used in a few common words ending -ture: picture structure

EXTRA VOCABULARY

pander pointer punter planter sprinter

bounder brander blinder blonder enchanter

rejoinder engender seconder gaunter grinder

ranter rounder wander winder hinterland

crafter grafter liberator rector regulator

elector electoral alligator protractor detractor

imitator refrigerator raptor adapter/adaptor

platter biter blotter traitor cheater

jitter daughter getter gritter gloater

padder prodder bidder judder rider

header bather breather blather heather

captor capture, sculptor sculpture

stricter stricture reflector* refractor* debenture

* It is helpful to insert the second vowel in these and their derivatives

horticultor horticulture-ral* horticulture horticultural

*Optional contraction

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