Speaking: Pronunciation A2 - Lesson 2: Pronouncing -ed Past Tense Endings (/t/, /d/, /ɪd/)

Speaking: Pronunciation A2

Pronouncing -ed Past Tense Endings

Listen to the rules and examples here.

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to correctly pronounce the three different sounds of "-ed" endings for regular past tense verbs.

The Three Sounds of "-ed" 🔊

When we add "-ed" to a regular verb for the past tense, it has three possible sounds. It's a common mistake to pronounce "-ed" as a full syllable ('ed'), but this is only correct for one of the three sounds!

The /t/ sound

/t/

Use this after voiceless sounds like /p/, /k/, /s/, /f/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/. (Sounds made with only air).

helped looked washed watched

The /d/ sound

/d/

Use this after voiced sounds like /b/, /g/, /v/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /z/, /ʒ/, /dʒ/ and all vowel sounds. (Sounds that vibrate your throat).

played lived called opened

The /ɪd/ sound

/ɪd/

Use this only after /t/ and /d/ sounds. This adds an extra syllable.

wanted needed decided started

Examples in Sentences

• Yesterday, I walked /t/ to the market and looked /t/ at the clothes.
• We played /d/ football and listened /d/ to music all evening.
• I wanted /ɪd/ to go, but I decided /ɪd/ to stay home.

The 'Why' Behind the Rule

💡 Voiced vs. Voiceless Sounds

The rule for pronouncing "-ed" depends on the final sound of the verb before you add the ending.

• A voiceless sound is made with only air. Touch your throat - no vibration. (Examples: /p/, /k/, /s/, /f/, /ʃ/ as in 'sh', /tʃ/ as in 'ch'). After these sounds, "-ed" sounds like /t/.
• A voiced sound makes your throat vibrate. (Examples: /b/, /g/, /v/, /z/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /ŋ/ as in 'sing', and all vowel sounds). After these sounds, "-ed" sounds like /d/.

The Special Rule: If the verb already ends in a /t/ or /d/ sound (like 'want' or 'need'), we must add an extra syllable /ɪd/ (sounds like 'id' in 'did') so we can hear the ending. We cannot easily say /t/+/t/ or /d/+/d/ together.

Practice the Sounds 🎯

Activity 1: Sort the Past Tense Verbs (Drag & Drop)

Drag each verb from the list below into the correct sound column (/t/, /d/, or /ɪd/). Click 'Check Answers' when done.

Words to Sort:

/t/ sound

/d/ sound

/ɪd/ sound

Activity 2: Which Sound Do You Hear? (Self-Check)

Listen to the audio player for this activity (or click 🔊). Choose the correct ending sound you hear for the verb in bold.

Vocabulary

• Past Tense | អតីតកាល
  A verb form used for actions that happened and finished in the past.
• Regular Verb | កិរិយាស័ព្ទទៀងទាត់
  A verb that forms its past tense by adding "-ed" (e.g., walk -> walked).
• Voiceless sound | សំឡេងអឃោសៈ
  A sound made with only air, no throat vibration (e.g., /p/, /k/, /s/).
• Voiced sound | សំឡេងឃោសៈ
  A sound that makes your throat vibrate (e.g., /b/, /g/, /z/, vowels).

Your Pronunciation Mission ⭐

This week, your mission is to practice past tense sounds.

Think about three things you did yesterday and write them down using regular verbs ending in -ed. For example:

• "I walked (/t/) to school."
• "I listened (/d/) to my teacher."
• "I started (/ɪd/) my homework."

Practice saying the sentences aloud and focus on making the correct ending sound for each verb.