When should the medial consonant be doubled in a multi-syllable word?

The correct choice is grounded in the rule that applies to the doubling of consonants in multi-syllable words. When the vowel in the first syllable is short, it necessitates that the following consonant is doubled. This doubling occurs to maintain the integrity of the pronunciation and stress within the word, ensuring that the short vowel sound is not influenced or altered by the consonant that comes after it. For instance, in the word “forget,” the “t” is not doubled, as the vowel in the first syllable is not a short vowel sound. However, in a word like "admit," the “d” is doubled because it follows a short vowel sound in the first syllable.

The other options may touch upon various phonetic principles, but they do not specifically target the condition for consonant doubling in the context of syllable structure and vowel length as effectively as the correct choice does. Understanding this rule helps students apply correct spelling in multi-syllable words, fostering more accurate use of the language in their writing and reading tasks.