In English, regular verbs form their past tense by adding the -ed ending to the base form. While this spelling rule is consistent, the pronunciation of this -ed ending follows specific patterns depending on the final sound of the base verb. Understanding these patterns will help you speak more naturally and be better understood.
The Three Pronunciation Patterns
The -ed ending in regular past tense verbs is pronounced in three different ways:
1. /t/ Sound
When the base verb ends in a voiceless consonant sound (p, k, s, sh, ch, f, th), the -ed ending is pronounced as /t/.
- asked /ɑːskt/
- walked /wɔːkt/
- looked /lʊkt/
- watched /wɒtʃt/
- missed /mɪst/
- washed /wɒʃt/
- finished /ˈfɪnɪʃt/
Listen carefully to how the -ed sounds like a simple /t/ at the end of these words.
2. /d/ Sound
When the base verb ends in a voiced consonant sound (b, g, v, z, j, l, m, n, r, th as in “breathe”) or a vowel sound, the -ed ending is pronounced as /d/.
- loved /lʌvd/
- called /kɔːld/
- played /pleɪd/
- cleaned /kliːnd/
- opened /ˈəʊpənd/
- imagined /ɪˈmædʒɪnd/
- believed /bɪˈliːvd/
Notice how the -ed sounds like a /d/ at the end of these words.
3. /ɪd/ Sound (Extra Syllable)
When the base verb ends in a /t/ or /d/ sound, the -ed ending is pronounced as /ɪd/, adding an extra syllable to the word.
- wanted /ˈwɒntɪd/
- needed /ˈniːdɪd/
- decided /dɪˈsaɪdɪd/
- ended /ˈendɪd/
- waited /ˈweɪtɪd/
- started /ˈstɑːtɪd/
- rented /ˈrentɪd/
Listen to how these words have an additional syllable at the end.
Practice Examples
Let’s practice identifying which pronunciation pattern applies to different verbs:
/t/ Sound Examples:
- He stopped at the red light.
- She fixed the broken computer.
- We passed all our exams last semester.
/d/ Sound Examples:
- I learned English for three years.
- She opened the window to get some fresh air.
/ɪd/ Sound Examples:
- We painted the walls yesterday.
- He invented a new device.
- They hated the movie we saw last night.
Practice Listening
Listen to the following sentences and pay attention to the pronunciation of the past tense verbs:
Last weekend, I visited my grandmother, cooked dinner for her, and watched her favorite movie.
In this sentence:
- “visited” is pronounced with the /ɪd/ sound (extra syllable)
- “cooked” is pronounced with the /t/ sound
- “watched” is pronounced with the /t/ sound
She closed the door, cleaned the kitchen, and waited for her friends to arrive.
In this sentence:
- “closed” is pronounced with the /d/ sound
- “cleaned” is pronounced with the /d/ sound
- “waited” is pronounced with the /ɪd/ sound (extra syllable)
Practice Games
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding an extra syllable when it’s not needed:
- Incorrect: I walk-ed to school. /wɔːkɪd/
- Correct: I walked to school. /wɔːkt/
- Not adding the extra syllable when it is needed:
- Incorrect: She want-d a new car. /wɒntd/
- Correct: She wanted a new car. /ˈwɒntɪd/
- Using the wrong sound:
- Incorrect: He help-id his mother. /helpɪd/
- Correct: He helped his mother. /helpt/
Summary
Remember these three patterns for pronouncing the -ed ending in regular past tense verbs:
- /t/ sound after voiceless consonants (p, k, s, sh, ch, f, th)
- /d/ sound after voiced consonants (b, g, v, z, j, l, m, n, r, th as in “breathe”) and vowels
- /ɪd/ sound (extra syllable) after /t/ and /d/ sounds
Regular practice will help you master these pronunciation patterns, making your spoken English clearer and more natural.