Pronunciation of -ed endings

Even if we do some work on pronunciation and word stress, we don't do nearly as much as I would like to. I'll try to create some posts now and again, that give you the chance to improve your pronunciation skills.

Many people still have difficulties pronouncing the -ed endings. There are three ways to pronounce the ending:

1. /t/
2. /d/
3. /ɪd/

It is only in the third group that there is an extra syllable (because of the vowel /ɪ/ sound) when the -ed is added.

An example for each group:

1. watch /wɒtʃ/ (one syllable), watched /wɑtʃt/ (one syllable)
2. stay /steɪ/ (one syllable), stayed /steɪd/ (one syllable)
3. start /stɒːrt/ (one syllable), started /'stɒːr tɪd/ (two syllables)

N.B. In group 3 there are only verbs that end in a /d/ or /t/ sound and there is an extra syllable when -ed is added.

e.g. invite /ɪnˈvaɪt/ (2 syllables), invited /ɪnˈvaɪtɪd/ (3 syllables)
e.g. decide /dɪˈsaɪd/ (2 syllables), decided /dɪˈsaɪdɪd/ (3 syllables)

A. 

What are the following verbs? Put in brackets how many syllables there are. Listen to them in the Pronunciation Check (left-hand column).

1. /'ʃaʊtɪd/
2. /səkˈsiːdɪd/
3. /ˈɪntrəstɪd/
4. /səˈdʒestɪd/
5. /rɪˈmaɪndɪd/
6. /ˈweɪstɪd/
7. /dɪˈlaɪtɪd/
8. /ɪkˈsaɪtɪd/
9. /prəˈməʊtɪd/
10. /ˈædɪd/

N.B. ' shows the stressed syllable.

Let's look at Group 2 /d/:

 
All verbs that end in voiced consonant sounds are in this group /b/, /g/, /v/, /z/, /l/, /r/, /m/, /n/, /ŋ/ ... and all verbs that end in a vowel sound.

B. 

What are the following verbs? Put in brackets how many syllables there are. Listen to them in the Pronunciation Check (left-hand column).

1. /ˈθretənd/
2. /ˈɪndʒəd/
3. /reɪzd/
4. /əˈnɔɪd/
5. /səˈpraɪzd/
6. /ˈwʌrid/
7. /ˈkɔːld/
8. /ˈfraɪtənd/
9. /ˈɔːgənaɪzd/
10. /ɪnˈgeɪdʒd/
11. /rɪˈtaɪəd/
12. /muːvd/

Let's look at Group 1 /t/: 

All verbs that end in unvoiced consonant sounds are in this group /p/, /k/, /f/, /s/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/...

C. 

What are the following verbs? Put in brackets how many syllables there are. Listen to them in the Pronunciation Check (left-hand column).

1. /əˈstɒnɪʃt/
2. /'wɒtʃt/
3. /lɑːft/
4. /ɪmˈbærəst/
5. /ˈhaɪdʒækt/
6. /rɪˈlækst/
7. /ˈfɪnɪʃt/
8. /dʒəʊkt/
9. /prəˈdjuːst/
10. /drɒpt/

Listen to the Grammar challenge and do the related tasks.

Also explore the Pronunciation Tips from BBC Learning English. It is really useful.