Single L or Double L

·       Dropping the second L in a prefix:

If a prefix ends with a double L is added to another word to form a compound word, the double L becomes a single L.  For Example:

All+most= almost, All+ready=Already, All+right=Already

All+though=Although, All+ways=Always, Full+Fill=Fulfil

Full+some=Fulsome, Skill+full=Skilful, Well+come=Welcome.

·       Full or Ful:

The only word ending full that takes a double L is ‘full itself.’  Otherwise, there is always a single L—or –ful when it is the last syllable of a word of two or more syllables.  For example, there are the following adjectives:

Bashful      fitful           mournful             successful

Beautiful   frightful     painful                 tearful

Careful       fruitful       peaceful               thoughtful

Colourful  grateful      pitiful                  useful

Similarly, ‘till’ with the prefix becomes ‘until’

·       Keeping both is when adding –ly to words ending in L.

There are always two Ls if the suffix –ly is added to a word ending in L.  If an –ly is added to any of these adjectives ending in –ful in order to form adverbs, they take –fully ending, as follows:

 Accident+ly: Accidentally, Actual+ly: Actually,

Cool+ly: Coolly, Cruel+ly: cruelly, Cynical+ly: cynically,

Final+ly: finally, Total+ly: totally, usual+ly: usually. 

 When a word does not end in L then generally we follow the straight forward rule of adding –ly when converting an adjective to an adverb.

Complete+ly: completely, Definite+ly: definitely, Extreme+ly: extremely, Friend+ly: friendly, Interest+ly: interestingly.  

Let’s discuss some exceptions to the general straight forward rule of adding –ly. 

·       When the –ly suffix is added to a word or stem ending Y, this latter Y changes to I.  Thus…

 Busy+ly: Busily, Crazy+ly: Crazily, Fancy+ly: Fancily, Hungry+ly: hungrily, Ready+ly: Readily, Steady+ly: Steadily.  

·       Adding Ly after IC:

A word ending in –Ic adds –ally, instead of plain –ly, to become –ically.

Analytic+ally: Analytically, Atheletic+ally: Athletically. Automatic becomes automatically, fantastically, scientifically, basically, frantically, comically, historically, statistically.  

Public becomes publicly not publically as this is an exception.  

·       -ble becomes –bly, and –ple becomes –ply. 

Adjectives ending in-ble changes the –e to –y to achieve an –ly adverbial ending.  This also rule also applies in case of –ple ending.

Ample- Amply, Capable-capably, durable- durably, favourable- favourably, Humble becomes humbly.  

Exceptions: Truly, Duly, Wholly, Dully, Fully, 

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