HOW TO PRONOUNCE 'ED' VERBS?

How to pronounce 'ed' verbs

The "-ed verbs" generally refer to verbs in their past tense or past participle form. In English, regular verbs form their past tense and past participle by adding "-ed" to the base form of the verb.

Examples:

Usage:

1. Past Simple (for completed actions in the past)

   • I watched a movie yesterday.
   • She visited her grandmother last week.

2. Past Participle (used in perfect tenses and passive voice)

   • I have finished my homework. (Present Perfect)
   • The cake was baked by my mom. (Passive Voice)

However, irregular verbs do not follow this "-ed" rule (e.g., go → went → gone). Let me know if you need more details!

Rules for Forming -ed Verbs

Regular verbs in English form their past tense and past participle by adding "-ed" to the base verb. However, spelling changes may apply:

1. Most verbs → Just add "-ed"

   • walk → walked
   • play → played

2. Verbs ending in "e" → Just add "-d"

   • love → loved
   • move → moved

3. Verbs ending in consonant + "y" → Change "y" to "i" and add "-ed"

   • study → studied
   • try → tried
     (If a vowel comes before "y," just add "-ed": play → played)

4. One-syllable verbs ending in a single vowel + consonant → Double the consonant and add "-ed"

   • stop → stopped
   • plan → planned
     (Exception: If the last consonant is "w," "x," or "y," don’t double it: fix → fixed, play → played)

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Pronunciation of -ed Verbs

The "-ed" ending can be pronounced in three different ways: /t/, /d/, or /ɪd/ depending on the last sound of the verb.

1. Pronounced as /t/ (soft, no extra syllable)

Used when the verb ends in a voiceless sound (p, k, f, s, ch, sh, x):

• help → helped (/helpt/)
• walk → walked (/wɔːkt/)
• watch → watched (/wɒtʃt/)

2. Pronounced as /d/ (soft, no extra syllable)

Used when the verb ends in a voiced sound (b, g, v, z, m, n, l, r, y, w and vowel sounds):

• love → loved (/lʌvd/)
• clean → cleaned (/kliːnd/)
• play → played (/pleɪd/)

3. Pronounced as /ɪd/ (adds an extra syllable)

Used when the verb ends in "t" or "d" sounds:

• start → started (/ˈstɑːr.tɪd/)
• need → needed (/ˈniː.dɪd/)

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Summary of -ed Pronunciation Rules:

Great! Here are some exercises to practice forming and pronouncing "-ed" verbs.

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Exercise 1: Forming -ed Verbs

What is 'ed' verbs?

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Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Pronunciation

Decide whether the "-ed" ending is pronounced as /t/, /d/, or /ɪd/ for the following verbs.

1. Laughed → ___
2. Called → ___
3. Wanted → ___
4. Kissed → ___
5. Opened → ___

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Exercise 3: Listen and Repeat

Read these sentences aloud and focus on the "-ed" pronunciation:

1. She walked to school early this morning.
2. We cleaned the kitchen after dinner.
3. He visited his grandmother last weekend.
4. They laughed at the joke.
5. I needed some help with my homework.

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Bonus Challenge: Create Sentences

Write 3 sentences using past tense "-ed" verbs and say them out loud.

Let me know when you're ready to check your answers!

Happy learning,

Hady F