If you’ve ever stumbled over the pronunciation of English words ending in -ed, you’re not alone. 

The good news is that there are three easy rules to help you remember how to pronounce -ed endings. In this article, we will explore these rules, talk about some common exceptions, and highlight some fun ways you can get feedback on your pronunciation to help you improve more quickly.

Why are words ending in -ed difficult for English learners?

Words ending in -ed can be challenging for English learners for a number of reasons:

1. Variation in pronunciation

There are three different ways in which to pronounce the ending -ed: /ɪd/ (‘wanted’), /t/ (‘kissed’), and /d/ (‘planned’). The pronunciation of -ed endings depends on the final sound of the root verb, or the sound just before the -ed spelling. Distinguishing these sounds before the -ed spelling can sometimes be difficult for English learners.

2. Exceptions

Fortunately, there are only a handful of exceptions to the rules for the pronunciation of -ed endings. However, some words can be pronounced in two different ways, depending on the form of the word. For example, the verb ‘learned’ is pronounced with the sound /d/ at the end, while the adjective form (e.g. ‘a learned professor’) is an exception to the rule and is pronounced with /ɪd/ at the end.

3. Spelling vs pronunciation

English is not a phonetic language. This means that you do not pronounce words the same way they are written. This can lead to some learners pronouncing all -ed endings as /ɪd/ or /ed/.

The good news is that there are no differences in the pronunciation of -ed endings between American and British English. So once you learn the rules, you’ll be able to understand everyone much more easily.

Now let’s look at the rules for the pronunciation of -ed endings!

What are the rules for words ending in -ed?

Here are the three rules to help you know how to pronounce words ending with -ed.

Rule 1: Pronouncing -ed as /ɪd/

Let’s start with the easiest rule. For this one, you only need to focus on the spelling of the word. When the base form of the verb ends with the spelling ‘t’ or ‘d’, the -ed ending is pronounced as /ɪd/.

For example:

Rule 2: Pronouncing -ed as /t/

For this rule, you need to focus on the sound of the word, not the spelling.

When the base form of the verb ends with a voiceless sound, the -ed is pronounced as a /t/.

To know if a sound is voiceless, put your hand on your throat. Then, say the sounds /s/ (‘sing’), /p/ (‘please’), /tʃ/ (‘cheese’) and /k/ (‘call’). Notice that all these sounds are made using only air, so you shouldn’t feel any vibration in your throat when you say them. If you don’t feel any vibration, then you know that it’s a voiceless sound and the -ed ending is pronounced as a /t/.

Here are some examples of words which follow the second rule:

Rule 3: Pronouncing -ed as /d/

Rule three is very similar to the second rule. The only difference is when the base form of the verb ends with a voiced sound, the -ed ending is pronounced as a /d/.

Put your hand on your throat again to check for voiced sounds. Then, say the sounds /z/ (‘zoo’), /b/ (‘buy’), and /v/ (‘van’). Do you feel the vibration in your throat now? If you do, then it means you are pronouncing these sounds correctly. When you feel that vibration, you know that it’s a voiced sound and therefore need to pronounce the -ed as a /d/.

Practice saying these words and sentences:

Exceptions to the -ed ending rules

Here are some common words where the -ed endings all use the /ɪd/ pronunciation despite not ending with the spellings ‘ded’ or ‘ted’, as we looked at in the first rule.

Notice that all these words are adjectives. 

Remember that some of these words can also be pronounced differently depending on the word class. For example, ‘aged’ is pronounced as /ˈeɪdʒd/ when it is a verb, but is pronounced as /ˈeɪ.dʒɪd/ when it is an adjective.

How can you improve your English pronunciation?

Now that you know the three rules for -ed endings, let’s look at some ways you can practice what you have learned to help you improve your pronunciation. You can also check out our blog post on how to track your progress to learn how you can assess your pronunciation and build a clear strategy to help you reach your language learning goals!

1. Listen and record yourself

Listen carefully to recordings and videos, then repeat after them as closely as you can. You can also record yourself and compare your recording to the original version to see how closely you can imitate it.

Here are some short sentences you can practice reading aloud:

1. She painted the wall blue. /ˈpeɪn.tɪd/
2. They roamed the countryside for hours. /roʊmd/
3. He jumped over the fence. /ʤʌmpt/
4. The aged man gave me some advice. /ˈeɪ.dʒɪd/ *exception*
5. The learned professor gave an insightful lecture. /ˈlɝ.nɪd/ *exception*

2. Tongue twisters

To make improving your pronunciation more fun, try saying some tongue twisters! Here are some that you can use to practice -ed endings.

Peter Piper

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,

Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Dragged Sled

Brad bragged about the dragged sled that sped and skidded along the shredded, threaded path, and pledged to edge ahead with a wedged sledge.

3. Use ELSA Speak

Did you know that you can get instant feedback on your pronunciation using the power of ELSA AI?

Listen carefully to the teacher’s pronunciation in the ELSA Speak app, imitate it as closely as you can, and then ELSA AI will show you your strengths and what you need to focus on more.

Use the specifically designed lesson to practice pronouncing -ed endings. So you can practice what you have learned here and get instant feedback on your pronunciation.

How to download the ELSA Speak app

You can download the ELSA Speak app here on your mobile phone.

Your AI tutor will give you lots of detailed feedback on your pronunciation and overall fluency. You can also invent your own roleplays, so you can practice the words you find difficult in conversations. Your personal AI tutor will help you perfect your pronunciation and improve your English speaking skills!