ED ENDINGS / -S ENDINGS

Read the sentences out loud, record yourself and check your pronunciation.

Past tense → /t/ after voiceless sounds (except /t/)

1) We laughed at all of his jokes.

2) I locked the door.

3) He looked at his watch.

4) She finished her exam early.

5) He crashed into a pole when he lost control of his car.

6) She picked him up at the airport at ten.

7) He was embarrassed when he slipped and fell.

Past tense → /d/ after voiced sounds (except /d/)

1) He always worried about his finances.

2) I called up the store and complained about the service.

3) We turned in our work early.

4) She prepared reports, solved problems, and managed a team.

5) He rearranged the schedule and confused the staff.

6) We played all day and studied all night.

Past tense → /id/ after /t/ or /d/

1) The university invited the speaker because many students are interested in the topic.

2) She was educated in the US and graduated from Georgia Tech.

3) They waited and waited until their friend’s plane landed.

4) The teacher handed out the assignment.

5) They located the items I had lost.

6) I predicted I would win.

-S ENDINGS

Read the sentences out loud, record yourself and check your pronunciation.

s/es → /s/ after voiceless sounds (except /s/, /ʃ/, /ʧ/)

a. She often compliments her employees.

b. He hopes his luck will change soon.

c. My friend usually meets me after work.

d. She laughs at all of his jokes.

e. We spent six months on this project.

f. He writes his parents every two weeks.

s/es → /z/ after voiced sounds (except /z/, /ʒ/, /ʤ/)

a. The clothes in that store are really expensive.

b. She throws out all her magazines every month.

c. John saves his money.

d. She feels like relaxing all weekend.

e. Susan drives her friends crazy.

f. The feathers in her hat got wet.

s/es → /iz/ after sibilant sounds

a. John raises horses on his farm.

b. He rarely finishes an exam in one hour.

c. He always changes his mind.

d. My taxes increase and my insurance rises every year.

e. He washes the dishes every evening.

f. Hugs and kisses are typical greetings in many countries.

STRESS RULE 1

Stress One and Two Word Compound Nouns on the 1st Word

air conditioner database handout pancake

airplane daycare headache paperback

airfare deadline headline parking lot

airport debit card high school passport

apartment building daydream highway password

automobile department store homework peanuts

bachelor’s degree dining room homesick peanut butter

backpack dishwasher hotdog phone call

baseball driver’s license household police officer

bathroom driver’s test housewife popcorn

beach ball driveway ice cream post office

beach towel drugstore internet raincoat

bedroom earrings keyboard reality show

birthday earthquake language school redhead

bookstore eyebrows laptop restroom

boyfriend eyelashes layoff rock concert

breakdown father-in-law lipstick sailboat

breakfast fingernail liquor store seashells

breakup firefighter living room seashore

bus stop flashlight lunchroom seasick

candy bar football makeup seatbelt

can opener frenchfries master’s degree security guard

cell phone friendship men’s room shoe store

checkbook frying pan microwave shopping mall

checking account gas station mother-in-law sit-ups

cheesecake girlfriend motorcycle six-pack

chewing gum golf ball movie theater snowstorm

classmate grandfather necklace soccer ball

cockroach grandmother neighborhood softball

coffee cup grocery store newspaper soft drink

coffee maker haircut nightmare software

copy machine hairdresser nighttime stomach ache

 credit card hamburger notebook stoplight

STRESS RULE 2

Stress Proper Nouns (Names) of Two+ Words on the Last Word

I’m leaving for New York tomorrow.

I’m leaving for New York City tomorrow.

Professor Jones is a popular teacher.

Georgia Tech is a tough university to get into.

Los Angeles is larger than San Diego.

Arabic is a common language in the Middle East.

STRESS RULE 3

Stress Similar Nouns and Verbs Differently. Stress Nouns on the First and Verbs on
the Second Syllable.

Nouns - Verbs

CONduct - conDUCT

PROduce - proDUCE

CONtract - conTRACT

PROgress - proGRESS

DEsert - deSERT

PROject - proJECT

OBject - obJECT

PERmit - perMIT

SUSpect - susPECT
PREsent - preSENT

UPset - upSET

Many nouns/adjectives and verbs look almost alike, but nouns are one word and
verbs are two words. Stress Two-Word Verbs (Compound Verbs) on the 2nd Word

Nouns - Verbs

BREAKdown - break DOWN

MAKEup - make UP

BREAKup - break UP

PICKup - pick UP

HANDout - hand OUT

LAYoff - lay OFF

HANGout - hang OUT

TAKEout - take OUT

HANGup - hang UP

TAKEoff - take OFF