How to Pronounce 'ed' Endings in English (+ FREE PDF 📎)

Summary

This video tutorial teaches viewers how to correctly pronounce 'Ed' endings in English verbs and adjectives. The instructor covers three main rules for pronunciation: when the word ends in 'te D' or 'D D', it is pronounced as 'tid' or 'did'; if the sound before 'Ed' is voiceless, the ending is pronounced as 't'; and if the sound is voiced, the ending is pronounced as 'd'. Additionally, the video highlights common exceptions, such as 'learned' and 'aged', that do not follow these rules. A free downloadable PDF with lesson notes and practice exercises is provided to help reinforce the content.

Takeaways

• 😀 Learn how to pronounce the 'Ed' endings in English verbs and adjectives.
• 😀 There are three main rules for pronouncing 'Ed' endings: 'tid' or 'did', 't' sound, and 'd' sound.
• 😀 Rule 1: If a word ends in 'ted' or 'dd', pronounce the ending as 'tid' or 'did' (e.g., 'decided' becomes 'did').
• 😀 Rule 2: If the sound before 'Ed' is voiceless (like 'k'), the 'Ed' is pronounced as a 't' sound (e.g., 'liked').
• 😀 Rule 3: If the sound before 'Ed' is voiced (like 'g'), the 'Ed' is pronounced as a 'd' sound (e.g., 'called').
• 😀 The 'Ed' ending pronunciation is not random; it depends on the sound before it (voiceless or voiced).
• 😀 Voiceless sounds include 'k', 'p', and 't', leading to a 't' ending sound for the 'Ed' (e.g., 'worked', 'hoped').
• 😀 Voiced sounds include 'g', 'b', and 'd', leading to a 'd' ending sound for the 'Ed' (e.g., 'played', 'called').
• 😀 Some words like 'learned' and 'aged' have exceptions to the usual 'Ed' rules, depending on whether they're verbs or adjectives.
• 😀 Be cautious of common exceptions such as 'blessed', 'wretched', 'crooked', 'naked', and 'wicked', where pronunciation breaks the usual rules.

Q & A

What are the three rules for pronouncing 'Ed' endings in English?

The three rules are: 1) If the word ends with 'te D' or 'D D', pronounce the ending as 'tid' or 'did'. 2) If the sound before the 'Ed' is voiceless (e.g., 'c'), pronounce the 'Ed' as a 't'. 3) If the sound before the 'Ed' is voiced (e.g., 'g'), pronounce the 'Ed' as a 'd'.

How do we pronounce 'wanted' and 'needed' based on rule number one?

'Wanted' and 'needed' follow rule number one because they end with 'te D' or 'D D'. Therefore, the pronunciation is 'want-ed' and 'need-ed', where 'ed' sounds like 'tid' and 'did'.

What is the key difference between 'liked' and 'liked'?

'Liked' is pronounced with a 't' sound because it ends with 'k', a voiceless sound, following rule number two. It's not pronounced like 'liked' (with a 'd') because it doesn't end in 'te D' or 'D D'.

How can we tell if a sound is voiceless?

To check if a sound is voiceless, place your hand on your throat and say the sound. If you don't feel any vibration, like with 'c' in 'kick', it is voiceless. Voiceless sounds don't cause vibration, unlike voiced sounds like 'g' or 'b'.

What happens to the 'Ed' pronunciation in words like 'ask' and 'hop'?

In 'ask' and 'hop', the 'p' and 'k' are voiceless, so the 'Ed' ending is pronounced as 't'. 'Ask' becomes 'asked', 'hop' becomes 'hoped', and both follow rule number two.

What distinguishes rule number three from rule number two?

Rule number three focuses on voiced sounds, meaning there's a vibration in the throat (like with 'g' or 'b'). If the sound before the 'Ed' is voiced, the 'Ed' is pronounced as 'd', as in 'called' or 'played'.

What is the correct pronunciation for the word 'live' in past tense?

In the past tense, 'live' becomes 'lived'. The 'v' is voiced, so the 'Ed' is pronounced as a 'd'.

Why do we say 'played' and not 'play-ed'?

'Played' follows rule number three because the 'y' sound is voiced. The 'Ed' is pronounced as 'd', not 't'.

What is an example of an exception to the 'Ed' pronunciation rules?

An example is the word 'learned'. As an adjective, it is pronounced as 'learned' with a 'd', but in British English, the verb 'learn' follows the regular rule and becomes 'learned' with a 't'.

What is the pronunciation rule for words like 'aged' and 'blessed'?

The adjective forms of words like 'aged' and 'blessed' break the regular 'Ed' pronunciation rules. 'Aged' and 'blessed' are pronounced with 'd' at the end, while the verb forms ('age' and 'bless') follow the regular rules.