English Mentors Tips
Jen’s English Tip’s – Pronunciation of the simple past -ed
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Pronunciation of the simple past -ed
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There are three ways to pronounce the final –ed of regular verbs in the simple past. This pronunciation is determined by the final sound of the verb: is it a voiced consonant, an unvoiced consonant, or a vowel sound. After unvoiced sounds such as p, f, s, k, and the final –ed is pronounced like t as in the word cat. Note that the –e remains silent. Click on the words to hear the sound files.
base form | simple past | |||
help | helped | |||
stuff | stuffed | |||
laugh | laughed | |||
miss | missed | |||
dice | diced | |||
fix | fixed | |||
look | looked | |||
fish | fished | |||
march | marched |
After voiced sounds such as b, g, v, z, m, n,, l, and r the final –ed sound is pronounced like d as in good. Note that the –e remains silent.
base form | simple past | |||
grab | grabbed | |||
hug | hugged | |||
save | saved | |||
ooze | oozed | |||
please | pleased | |||
massage | massaged | |||
rage | raged | |||
resume | resumed | |||
sign | signed | |||
bang | banged | |||
peel | peeled | |||
breathe | breathed | |||
honor | honored |
The final –ed is also pronounced like the d in good after all vowel sounds. Note that the –e again remains silent.
base form | simple past | |
stay | stayed | |
free | freed | |
lie | lied | |
hoe | hoed | |
sue | sued | |
ski | skied | |
snow | snowed | |
try | tried |
For verbs ending in d and t the final –ed is pronounced Id as in the final two letters of the word did.
base form | simple past | |
add | added | |
grade | graded | |
decide | decided | |
exit | exited | |
taste | tasted | |
object | objected |