Developed or Developped: Which Is Correct?

Updated 2026-10-12 · Which One Is Correct editorial team

Quick answer: When writing about growth or progress, developed is the correct spelling, whereas developped is a frequent misspelling. The word develop contains only one p, so adding an extra p creates an error that should be avoided in formal and informal writing alike to ensure accuracy.

The Short Answer

developed is correct; developped is a misspelling. The word develop has a single p.

People often confuse these forms because the base word develop sounds similar to words with double consonants, yet it only takes one p when adding the -ed suffix.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Form	Status	Use it when
developed	Correct	Always for the past tense or past participle of develop
developped	Incorrect	Never; this is a spelling mistake to avoid
Part of Speech	Adjective or Verb	Used to describe something that has grown or been created
Region	Universal	Applicable in American and British English

Correct Example Sentences

The software was developed by a small team of engineers.
This area has developed rapidly over the last few years.
She developed a new plan to solve the problem.
The country developed a strong economy through trade.
The team developed a strategy for the competition.
Our skills developed as we practiced every day.
The project developed into a large successful business.
He developed a passion for painting at a young age.
The story developed a surprising twist near the end.
The community developed a sense of unity quickly.

Common Mistakes and Fixes

The software was developped by the team.: The software was developed by the team.
She developped her skills through practice.: She developed her skills through practice.
The project was developped last year.: The project was developed last year.
Our business developped quickly.: Our business developed quickly.
He developped a new idea.: He developed a new idea.
The plan was developped carefully.: The plan was developed carefully.

A Quick Test You Can Use

To verify the spelling, think about the root word develop and remember that the past tense simply adds ed without changing the p count.

Related Word Pairs

Advice vs Advise: Use advice as a noun and advise as a verb.
Effect vs Affect: Use effect as a noun and affect as a verb.
Stationary vs Stationery: Use stationary for something not moving and stationery for paper goods.
Historical vs Historic: Use historical for something from history and historic for something famous in history.
Principal vs Principle: Use principal for a main thing or school leader and principle for a rule or belief.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is developped ever correct in any language?

No, developped is incorrect in English. The correct spelling always uses one p. This rule applies in both American and British English without exception.

Why do people keep making this spelling error?

People often add an extra p because they expect double consonants, but develop only has one p in its base form. This habit leads to the frequent mistake of writing developped instead of developed.

Can I use developped in informal text messages?

Even in informal messages, it is better to write developed correctly. Using developped looks unprofessional and might confuse readers who know the standard spelling rules.

Does the verb develop ever have two p's?

No, the verb develop never has two p's. Whether used as a base verb or in the past tense, the spelling remains consistent with one p in the middle of the word.