Pronouncing -ed at the ends of words

There are 3 ways to pronounce the final -ed in a word.

1. -ed = /t/
2. -ed = /d/
3. -ed = /id/

How do you know which sound goes with which word? Look at these verbs:

kissed
hoped
learned
played
wanted
sounded

Which sound goes with which word?

We will be talking about the root words, before you add the “ed”.

Here are the rules...

#1 If the last sound of the root word is unvoiced* (uses only air to make the sound)  the -
ed will sound like /t/.

Look at the root words kiss and hope. The last sound of kiss is /s/. It doesn't use the voice to
make the sound. So the -ed will not use a voice to make a sound either. The word sounds like
/kist/. The word hope ends with /p/. It doesn't use the voice either so /t/ is at the end of the
root word. So it sounds like /hopt/.

#2 If the last sound of the root word is voiced* (uses some noise to make the sound) the –ed
will sound like /d/.

Look at the root words learn and play. The last sound of learn is /n/. It uses the voice. The
-ed will also have a voice sound like /d/. So learned sounds like /lernd/. Play also has a voiced
sound at the end. Played is pronounced /pleid/.

#3 If the last letter of the root word ends in /d/ or /t/, the -ed will sound like /id/.

Look at the root words want and mend. They end with a /t/ or /d/. Wanted sounds like
/wantid/ and mended sounds like /mendid/.
Note: Don't think about the spelling; only think about the final sound of the root word, before
the ed is added. For example, cough sounds like /kaf/. The /f/ is unvoiced. So coughed
sounds like /kaft/.

*If you are not sure if the sound of a root word is voiced or unvoiced, put your hand on your
throat when you say the final sound of the root word. If it is voiced, you will feel a vibration, or
movement, in your throat. If it is unvoiced, you will feel nothing in your throat.

Check Your Understanding

Choose the correct final sound for each word.

1. sounded

a. /t/
b. /d/ 
c. /id/

2. snowed

a. /t/
b. /d/ 
c. /id/

3. cleaned

a. /t/
b. /d/ 
c. /id/

4. fainted

a. /t/
b. /d/ 
c. /id/

5. laughed
 a. /t/
b. /d/ 
c. /id/

6. raked

a. /t/
b. /d/ 
c. /id/

7. wounded

a. /d/
b. /t/ 
c. /id/

8. faxed

a. /d/
b. /t/ 
c. /id/

9. cooled

a. /d/
b. /t/ 
c. /id/

some words to pronounce