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One common mistake with verbs that English learners make is the mispronunciation of regular verbs. The ending for all of these verbs is the same -ed. Yet, this same suffix can take a number of different pronunciations (4 to be exact). That means non-native English learners may mispronounce this suffix and sound really awkward in the process.
This post is going to teach you an important part of learning English – the pronunciation of regular verbs and how the -ed suffix changes depending on 3 specific rules.
Why English learners struggle with the pronunciation of regular verbs
English pronunciation isn’t the easiest because we don’t pronounce every spelling pattern the same way. In fact, we even spell many words the same, but change their pronunciation when they are different parts of speech!
So, naturally, this same concept of shifting pronunciation also applies to the [ed] suffix on regular verbs.
The problem comes mainly from the fact that English spelling of words often contain a silent [e].
Additionally, English pronunciation rules often change depending on whether the last sound is voiced or not.
What’s worse is that in many languages, you do pronounce every spelling pattern the same way. For example, where I teach in Poland, the Polish language pronounces every vowel, so when some of my students are reading aloud, they end up pronouncing the [e] in [ed] at times when they shouldn’t.
Therefore, the problem arises when you’re reading aloud.
In my video lesson (see below), I teach you the pronunciation of regular verbs with the phonetic rules for -ed, as it should be in English. Then, we’ll drill some examples together to give you some practice.
You can watch the video here, or scroll past the video to continue reading the explanations.
The 3 Rules for the Pronunciation of Regular Verbs with -ED Endings
There are three ways to pronounce the [ed] suffix in English.
Each way is sound-based, where the last pronounced sound before the suffix-[ed], determines how the [ed]-sound is pronounced.
The 3 regular verb pronunciation rules are based on the last sound of the pronounced word being:
- Voiced last sound
- Unvoiced last sound
- D-last sound or T-last sound
Voiced Sounds and the Pronunciation of Regular Verbs
A sound is voiced if it originates in your voice box – your throat. Just try holding your hands around your neck and say the last sound in these following verbs: Agr[ee], Complai[n], Trave[l]
I want you to feel the vibrations that your voice makes.
Now say the word and add the [ed] ending: Agr[eed], Complai[ned], Trave[lled]
You will have noticed that the [e] was silent, while the voiced end of the word links to the voiced-[d] sound.
For example, you have the hard-[g] and [d], so [g,d], as in beg -> begged.
"Unvoiced Sounds and the Pronunciation of Regular Verbs
If a voiced sound starts in your throat, the unvoiced sound is made only in your mouth. Again, notice the end sound to these example verbs: Li[ke], Confe[ss], Jin[x]
Feeling your throat when you make this sound, you don’t feel any vibration coming from your voice box.
Now say those words, adding the [ed] ending: Li[ked], Confe[ssed], Jin[xed]
It should sound like: Li[kt], Confe[sst], and Jin[xt]
Again, the [e] is silent, while the unvoiced consonant sound links to the unvoiced [t] sound.
When you think about it, the unvoiced [d] sounds like a [t]-sound.
When to Pronounce -ED as /id/: The Pronunciation of Regular Verbs with /d/ or /t/ Last Sounds
The third way to pronounce ED regular verbs is to pronounce the vowel sound in the [ed]. That means it should sound like [id].
This pronunciation is used when the last sound is either a [d] or [t] sound. I say sound rather than letter because sometimes the last sound is [d] as in [trade] or [t] as in [invite].
Notice how the last letter of these words is just the silent [e]-sound at the end of the word.
A Summary of the Phonetic Voiced and Unvoiced Sounds When Pronouncing Regular Verbs
So, what phonetic sounds are voiced and unvoiced?
Let’s head over to the phonetic chart and I’ll give you a breakdown of the phonetically voiced sounds, and the unvoiced sounds.
As you can see in each image, the highlighted last sound matches the “d” sound. If that last sound is voiced, the “d” is voiced. If the last sound is unvoiced, the “d” is unvoiced, sounding like a “t”.
Now, let’s study the unvoiced chart for some of the consonants that lead to the unvoiced “d” sound.
Why it's important to learn regular and Irregular Verbs
Learning English verbs should be a regular practice for you. Verbs, as a part of speech, are the most important piece of a sentence. In fact, you cannot have a sentence without verbs.
When you learn a new verb, the first thing you should do is learn its properties, one of which is whether it is a regular or irregular verb.
Unlike regular verbs, there is no single suffix addition that formulates the irregular verb. So, what many teachers do is they give you an alphabetical list to learn the irregular verbs. This is not the way to learn irregular verbs.
What you want to do is arrange the irregular verbs into groups according to their similar spelling patterns. I do this for you in my full post on the best way to learn the irregular verbs in English.
Regular and Irregular Verbs are part of many verb tenses
Whether regular or irregular, you need the past forms of these verbs to complete the past simple and perfect simple verb tenses.
By perfect simple tenses, I’m talking about all 3 verb tenses on the perfect simple aspect:
- Present Perfect Simple
- Past Perfect Simple
- Future Perfect Simple
So let’s take a closer look at each one.
At the time you learn a new verb or set of verbs, you need to learn the past simple and past participle forms of each verb.
The perfect simple tenses, as mentioned earlier, all contain the past participle. Therefore, it is essential to learn each verb form for each verb.
In my post full post on this topic, I help you distinguish between the present perfect vs the past simple grammatically. You can find that post with the link.
The narrative tenses consist of the past simple, past perfect simple, past continuous, and the past perfect continuous.
In order to use the past simple and past perfect simple, you need to know the regular verbs and how to pronounce them.
In my related post, I teach you the differences between all 4 narrative verb tenses.
Another grammatical area where it is important to know the regular verbs is with reported speech.
Reported speech involves reporting what someone said in the past. And to do this, we often put the verb tense back a level. That means:
1. Present Simple goes to Past Simple
2. Past Simple and Present Perfect Simple transform to past perfect simple.
And so on…
As you can see, the past simple and past participles are heavily involved in reported speech.
Learn more about verb tense backshifts in my post on reported speech.
The final stop in understanding the relevance of regular verbs is with the future perfect simple verb tense.
Once more, you will need the past participle form of regular verbs to use this verb tense.
Learn more about how to use the future perfect verb tense with my full guide and video.
Final Thoughts on How to Pronounce Regular Verbs with -ed Ending
So, there you have it – the three ways to pronounce ED regular verbs in English.
I would say this is one of the most important sounds to be able to pronounce properly because there are so many regular verbs that we use either in the past simple, all the perfect simple tenses, as well as with [ed]-Adjectives.
I wanted to give you a taste of these sounds and some rules for when to use each type of pronunciation. Now, this problem doesn’t occur as much in your spoken English, when you’re talking to somebody, but when you’re reading aloud.
The best way to avoid these mistakes is to practice. Read on to get my recommended resource to practice your reading. It might just surprise you 😉
Practice Your Regular Verb Pronunciation With a Wonderful Story Book (Recommended Resource)
As with anything you learn, practice makes perfect. One of the best ways to practice reading the ED regular verbs aloud is with a good storybook.
One that I use in my private teaching practice is the Disney 365 storybook. In it, you’ll find 365 1-page stories from the wide world of Disney stories and their characters.
What’s more, each story is loaded with direct and reported speech, and the kind of human interaction verbs you won’t get in an English language course book or exercise book.
How about a Comprehensive List of Regular Verbs for you to study: Free Downloads
Here, you will find a complete list of verbs, organized by pronunciation group along with a roundup activity.
English Grammar Explained, Your Grammar handbook
The verb tenses are a higher concept of English grammar. But did you know that they aren't the foundation of grammar. It's actually sentence structure and the parts of speech. Fill in your grammar gaps and eliminate common mistakes with my grammar explainer. It's perfect for non-native Engish learners and educators alike. Pick up your copy today!
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