When should we use "l" or "ll" in English?
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When should we use "l" or "ll" in English?
This is one of the major issues for someone learning English as a second language. Well it certainly was for me when I was at school and I still see some people having trouble with it ...
Today we're going to show you different examples that might cause some issues.
In English, we use "l" and "ll" to form adverbs or to form the past tense of some verbs. We should also consider the difference between British and American English. You will find all these cases explained below...
Hopefully this will help you solve this issue.
Kangas
Today we're going to show you different examples that might cause some issues.
In English, we use "l" and "ll" to form adverbs or to form the past tense of some verbs. We should also consider the difference between British and American English. You will find all these cases explained below...
- Adverbs
Adverbs are words that tell us about a verb. They're used after a verb and they qualify that particular verb.
Example: Sophie drove carefully along the narrow road.
Many adverbs are made from an adjective and the suffix "ly". But it doesn't happen to all adverbs. We will be posting another topic about advebs only. This is just to show you when to use "l" or "ll".Adjective Adverb quick quickly serious seriously careful carefully quiet quietly heavy heavily bad badly
As you can see, in most cases we use only one "l", however if the adjective ends with an "l" it will need "ll" to form the adverb.Adjective Adverb careful carefully usual usually unusual unusually financial financially special specially normal normally natural naturally
- Verbs
Verbs are one of the major grammatical groups. They must be present in every sentence and they can be action verbs or state verbs. Action Vebs refer to actions (break, buy, move). State Verbs refer to states (be, like, own).
For verbs ending in "l", the past and past participle are formed by having "ll" before "ing" and "ed" whether the final syllabe is stressed or not.Infinitive Past Participle Simple Past travel travelling travelled cancel cancelling cancelled call calling called
NOTE:
We DO NOT double the final consonant if there are two vowel letters before it ("oil", "eed", etc).
Example: Boil/boiling/boiled
- British Vs American English
Even though Europeans learn British English at school, the truth is we're all greatly influenced by American culture and American English due to films, tv series and other American programmes we come in contact with. Although it's the same language, there are some differences and those differences can cause trouble if you're not a native speaker.
Some words that are spelt with "ll" in British English only use "l" in American English.British English American English cancel/cancelling/cancelled cancel/canceling/canceled travel/travelling/travelled travel/traveling/traveled woollen woolen counsellor counselor medallist medalist jeweller jeweler initialled initialed labelled labeled signalled signaled totalled totaled
Hopefully this will help you solve this issue.
Kangas
Source: English Grammar in Use, Using English.com, Bee Dictionary
Last edited by Kangas on Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:56 am; edited 1 time in total
Re: When should we use "l" or "ll" in English?
This is one of the best posts I've read here.
As many others, I'm one of those who learned english as a second language. And this is one of my major doubts while writing in english!
Thank you so much for this more than useful posts
Kind regards
MistyMoon
As many others, I'm one of those who learned english as a second language. And this is one of my major doubts while writing in english!
Thank you so much for this more than useful posts
Kind regards
MistyMoon
MistyMoon- Posts : 13
Join date : 2012-06-07
Re: When should we use "l" or "ll" in English?
Hi MistyMoon
I'm very glad the post was helpful. This is indeed one of the major issues, for people learning English as a second language.
And the mix between British and American English sometimes creates more problems, since we learn British English at school but then we always tend to write and speak American English. I had that problem myself ...
Then things like the one shown in my post or verbs that are usually irregular in British English are written as regular. For example in your post you have verb to learn written in its regular past tense, however in British English that verb is irregular (even though you can use it both ways) - learnt. It is not wrong, of course, but it's a common thing ...
Hope you keep enjoying our Forum and finding our posts helpful. Feel free to ask any questions. We will be very pleased to help you.
Regards
Kangas
I'm very glad the post was helpful. This is indeed one of the major issues, for people learning English as a second language.
And the mix between British and American English sometimes creates more problems, since we learn British English at school but then we always tend to write and speak American English. I had that problem myself ...
Then things like the one shown in my post or verbs that are usually irregular in British English are written as regular. For example in your post you have verb to learn written in its regular past tense, however in British English that verb is irregular (even though you can use it both ways) - learnt. It is not wrong, of course, but it's a common thing ...
Hope you keep enjoying our Forum and finding our posts helpful. Feel free to ask any questions. We will be very pleased to help you.
Regards
Kangas
Re: When should we use "l" or "ll" in English?
I wasn't expecting to have a "language counsellor" online.
Thank you very much for correcting me. I don't write english frequently and I admit I forgot some of what I was taught.
This an excellent way for me to "re-learn" how to properly write the british language
Thank you again for your help
MistyMoon
Thank you very much for correcting me. I don't write english frequently and I admit I forgot some of what I was taught.
This an excellent way for me to "re-learn" how to properly write the british language
Thank you again for your help
MistyMoon
MistyMoon- Posts : 13
Join date : 2012-06-07
Re: When should we use "l" or "ll" in English?
Hi Mistymoon
Feel free to ask anytime. It will be a pleasure to help you.
Regards
Kangas
Feel free to ask anytime. It will be a pleasure to help you.
Regards
Kangas
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