How to pronounce “ed” at the end of a verb.

How to pronounce “ed” at the end of a verb

It´s difficult to know how to pronounce “ed” in english, because it´s pronounced in three different ways. It depends on a letter before:

The three ways are:

1. “id” (like in Painted “Paint-id”)

2. “d” (like in Played “Play-ed”)

3. “t” (like in Hoped “Hope-t”)

How to pronounce “ed” at the end of a verb

The most important thing to remember is this:If the verb has a “d” or a “t” sound before “ed”, you need to pronounce “id”.

If it doesn´t, don´t pronounce an extra syllable.

Be careful ! It´s the sound, not the letter: “decided” is pronounce “decide-id” even though it ends in “e”, because we don´t say the “e”, so the last sound is “d”

So for example:

Wanted (want-id) Hated (hate-id)

Ended (end-id) intended (intend-id)

Decided (decide-id) Started (start-id)

Admitted (admit-id) suggested (suggest-id)

Recommended (recommend-id)

How to pronounce “ed” at the end of a verb

For the other two sounds it doesn´t matter so much.

Just make sure don´t say “id”! For example, Stopped is pronounced “stop-t” and never “Stop-id”

If the word before “ed” ends in sounds “p”, “f”, “s”, ”ch”

“sh”, “k” the “ed” is pronounced “t”.So for example:

• “p”, stopped (stop-t) • “f”, laughed (laugh-t) • “s”, promised (promis-t) • “ch”, watched (wach-t) • “sh”, finished (finish-t)• “k”, walked (walk-t)

How to pronounce “ed” at the end of a verb

For all other words, “ed” is pronounce “d”So for example:

• Allowed• cried• enjoyed• cleaned• imagined