A language challenge

[DevilWithaHalo]

This thought dawned on me today and what better way to test it out then post it online? I do not claim to know the answer; but I am interested in seeing what other people come up with.

Here is the challenge, create a string of words one letter at a time that still hold meaning and see how far you can get. You do not have to biuld a sentance or anything else.

Example...

A
An
Ant
Ants
etc

Only 4 words, nuts!

(For the moment I think I will accept proper nouns so long as you reference them, like someone's name)

(Given the limitation behind single letter words, I'll accept words that begin with 2 letters, so long as you at least attempt the initial challenge)

Enjoy the brain workout!

 

[him over there]

hmm, gonna go with b,cool idea by the way.
b
be
bet
beta...

crap. 4 too!

 

[Fishehh]

He:
He
Her
Hers
Hershey

4. :<

Oh, right 1 letter word:
I
In
Inn

3. D:

 

[Professor Lupin Madblood]

I like the letter I, so let's go with that.

I
Id
Ide (Ides of March - the date, not the movie)
Idea
Ideal
Ideals

Dang, only six. I thought I could do more than that, brain.

 

[Batou667]

Ha, I thought I was the only one who used to think of these little word games.

Are we allowed to add letters to the front of the word, as well as the end? If so, you could have

I
in
win
wing
swing
swings

or to steal the OP's one,

a
an
ant
ants
pants

 

[Ectoplasmicz]

T
To
Ton
Tone
Toned
Stoned

Damn.

 

[Badong]

I remember my mates making a game out kinda like this once, wherein the objective is the same, but it takes 4+ people to play, and the first one to form a coherent word loses a life.

OT:
O
Or
Ore
Tore
Store
Stores

Harder than I thought.

 

[JesterRaiin]

p
<link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ph>ph
pho
<link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phon>phon
phone
phoned

or

<link=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Phonem>phonem
<link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoneme>phoneme also <link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PhoneME>phoneME
<link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonemes>Phonemes

or

p
pa
par
part
sparta
spartan
spartans

It is wonderful to be a non-native english speaker and pretend to not understand correctly what OP said. ;p

 

[WhyBotherToTry]

N
On
One
Tone
Tones
Stones

Wow, this is actually pretty hard

 

[Angry Camel]

Hm.
B
Be
Bee
Been
Beens.
Dang, this is a challenge. Now for 2 letters.
Te
Tea
Teas
Tease
Teased.
No better :/

 

[bakan]

a
aa
ala
alas
atlas
(at-last )


i
in
sin
sing
sting
string
staring
starting
startling

,though the last one is pretty well known, as there are only a few 9-letter words you can use.