Pronunciation of -ed

Form

The -ed ending has three pronunciations, and the last sound of the base verb decides which one you use (/t/, /d/ or /ɪd/).

After /t/ or /d/ it becomes a whole extra syllable, /ɪd/ (wanted, needed). After any other sound made without your voice, such as /p/, /k/, /f/, /s/, /ʃ/ or /tʃ/, it is /t/ (helped, walked, washed); after any other voiced sound, including every vowel, it is /d/ (cleaned, played, loved). Spelling can mislead you here, which is why laughed ends in /t/ although there is no t in laugh.

When to Use It

1. 1

   After a voiceless consonant other than /t/, say /t/

   She washed the dishes.

2. 2

   After a voiced consonant other than /d/, or after a vowel, say /d/

   They cleaned the office.

3. 3

   After /t/ or /d/, say /ɪd/ and add a syllable

   He wanted more time.

4. 4

   Counting syllables, where only the /ɪd/ ending makes the word longer

   Started has two syllables and stopped has one.

5. 5

   Past participles, which follow exactly the same rule

   The report has been finished.

6. 6

   A few -ed adjectives, which keep an old /ɪd/ syllable

   She is a learned professor.

Common Mistakes

• An extra syllable everywhere: say walked, not walk-ed — only a base verb ending in /t/ or /d/ adds the /ɪd/ syllable.
• Going by the letters: say /læft/, not /læfd/ — laugh ends in voiceless /f/, so the ending matches it.
• An /ɪd/ where it does not belong: say /pleɪd/, not /pleɪɪd/ — play ends in a vowel, which is voiced, so the ending is just /d/.
• A voiced ending said as /t/: say /kɔld/, not /kɔlt/ — call ends in voiced /l/, so the ending is voiced too.
• Dropping the ending altogether: say I worked late, not I work late when you mean yesterday — the ending can be short and soft, but it still has to be heard.