The doubling rule: ff ll ss zz
One short vowel, one little word — double the f, l, s or z.
What this skill is
Focused practice for the doubling rule: ff ll ss zz, aligned to RF.1.3.
Three ways to teach it at home
- Show three examples that follow the pattern before naming it.
- Sort words into follows-the-pattern and does-not, and let them argue about the edge cases.
- Do not teach exceptions in the same session as the rule.
The full word list
Every word here uses only spellings taught at or before this rung, so nothing needs guessing. Print it, or read it down the column together.
puff · cuff · huff · off · bell · fell · tell · well · yell · hill · fill · will · pill · doll · pull · miss · kiss · hiss · less · mess · pass · buzz · fizz · jazz
Where this sits in the ladder
Questions people actually ask
What grade is "the doubling rule: ff ll ss zz"?
It sits in grade 1 in most sequences, and it is aligned to RF.1.3. In Ladderbug it opens once ck ng nk is solid — grade labels are a rough guide, and readiness is what actually matters.
Is this game free?
Yes. This page needs no account, no email and no card, and there are no advertisements. It saves progress in your own browser.
This is one rung of 82.
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