How to pronounce the past of regular verbs

Practise saying each of these words out loud:

watched | inspired | painted

Did you know that the -ed endings of these words are each pronounced differently?

• watched → /wɒtʃt/
• inspired → /ɪnˈspaɪəd/
• painted → /ˈpeɪntɪd/

Confused? Let me explain!

Make sure you click on the link below to hear audio clips of all of today's words and example sentences.

How to pronounce 'ed' at the end of a word

There are three ways to pronounce the letters '-ed' at the end of a word.

/t/

This is a crisp voiceless consonant sound made by firmly pressing your tongue against your gum ridge, just behind your teeth, without touching your teeth. Use only the tip of your tongue, avoiding any flattening. As you exhale, let the built-up air pressure release with a puff when you free your tongue.

You can practise this sound with the words -

taste → /teɪst/ | tattle → /ˈtætl/

/d/

This is a soft, voiced consonant sound made the same way as /t/. The key difference here is the vibration that we add in the vocal cords, making it ‘voiced’. Remember only to use the tip of your tongue when making this sound.

Let’s practise this sound with these words -

diddy → /ˈdɪdi/ | doodle → /ˈduːdl/

/ɪd/

We make this sound by combining the lax vowel sound /ɪ/ that we learnt yesterday with the voiced consonant /d/.

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rapid → /ˈræpɪd/ | valid → /ˈvælɪd/

How do I know which sound to use?

The 'T' Rule

If a word ends with a voiceless consonant sound like /p/, /f/, /s/, /k/, etc., the 'ed' ending is pronounced as a /t/.

stopped → /stɒpt/ | kicked → /kɪkt

The 'D' Rule

When a word ends with a voiced consonant (other than /d/) or a vowel sound, the 'ed' ending is pronounced as a /d/.

played → /pleɪd/ | loved → /lʌvd/

The 'ID' Rule

If a word ends with a /t/ or /d/ sound, then the 'ed' ending is pronounced as /ɪd/. This adds an extra syllable to the word.

started → /ˈstɑːtɪd/ | aided → /ˈeɪdɪd/

Let’s practise!

Here are a few practice sentences to help you nail the different 'ed' sounds.
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1. The striped cat jumped over the stacked boxes, landed softly and started sleeping.
2. Rob painted the old gate, fixed the rusted tap and ended the day feeling satisfied.
3. Mildred hoped the sorted files helped the team stay organised and fostered productivity.
4. Luke's moose put a hook in the blue brook.​
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Remember, consistent practice is key! Don't be afraid to stumble or sound silly – that's how we learn and improve.

See you tomorrow for Day 3 of the Pronunciation Boot Camp, where we'll put your newfound skills to the test!

In the meantime, keep practising those '-ed' endings!

'-ed' Ending Sounds - H5P.com

(Source: English with Lucy)