GRAMMAR
How to Pronounce -ed in English
The past simple tense and past participle of all regular verbs end in -ed. For example:
base verb
(v1) past simple
(v2) past participle
(v3)
work worked worked
In addition, many adjectives are made from the past participle and so end in -ed. For example:
• I like painted furniture.
The question is: How do we pronounce the -ed?
The answer is: In 3 ways - / Id/ or / t/ or / d/
If the base verb ends in one of these sounds: example base verb*: example
with -ed: pronounce
the -ed: extra syllable?
Unvoiced /t/ want wanted
/ Id/
yes
Voiced /d/ end ended
Unvoiced /p/ hope hoped
/ t/
no
/f/ laugh laughed
/s/ fax faxed
/S/ wash washed
/tS/ watch watched
/k/ like liked
Voiced all other sounds,
for example... play played
/ d/
allow allowed
beg begged
* note that it is the sound that is important, not the letter or spelling. For example, "fax" ends in the letter "x" but the sound /s/; "like" ends in the letter "e" but the sound /k/.
Exceptions
The following -ed words used as adjectives are pronounced with /Id/:
• aged
• blessed
• crooked • dogged
• learned
• naked • ragged
• wicked
• wretched
