Rule 1: /t/ sound

-ed is pronounced /t/ after all voiceless sounds. Voiceless sounds are
made by pushing air through your mouth; no sound comes from your
throat.

Examples of voiceless sounds: “K”, “P”, “S”, “Ch”, “Sh”, “F”

• Look → looked → look/t/
• Clap → clapped → clap/t/
• Miss → missed → miss/t/
• Watch → watched → watch/t/
• Finish → finished → finish/t/
Exercise:
Luke looked at the book
Luke got hooked with the glance he took
He missed the bus, for his time he risked.
He flipped a page, and trapped was he.
Luke looked at the book, Luke peeped into his
wrist.
His watch ticked but his foot he wouldn’t lift.
In his mind he danced, and laughed,
He jumped, he dropped until the light went out.
 Rule 2: /d/ sound
• –ed is pronounced /d/ after voiced sounds. Voiced sounds come from
your throat. Touch your neck when you make a voiced sound, you can
feel your voice box vibrate.

Examples of voiced sounds: “L”, “V”, “N”, “B” and all vowel sounds.
• Smell → smelled → smell/d/
• Save → saved → save/d/
• Clean → cleaned → clean/d/
• Rob → robbed → rob/d/
• Play → played → play/d/
 Exercise:

Dude, you moved?

I saved this spot for you
She stared at me, but I couldn’t be boomed.
I resumed and reserved this spot for you.
But, dude, you moved.
I tried my best, even got mugged.
I was scared and I almost cried.
Aren’t you amazed? To this spot I’m glued.
But dude, you moved.
 Rule 3: /id/ sound
• Final –ed is pronounced /ed/ after “T”, and “D” sounds.
The sound /ed/ adds a whole syllable to a word.

Example:
• Decide → decided → decide/ed/
• Need → needed → need/ed/
• Want → wanted → want/ed/
• Invite → invited → invite/ed/
 Exercise

The rat wanted cheese. He started to sniff

something.
Hoping his wish to be granted, it was cheese that all
he wanted.
He needed a good plan to be started.
This rat decided to go and get, and not be busted.
He waited, hours not minded.
Just to get the cheese he wanted.
“The lights must be out!” he reminded.
Arms loaded, feet dusted, and his mind decided.
Last summer, my family decided to go to
the beach. Beaches aren’t my cup of tea,
but now how could I say no? Everything
was fine until we reached the house we
rented. My wife and kids loved the place.
They stayed at the beach all day long. I
was the one who had to stay in the house.
The first day I listened to music, watched
TV, studied astrology, and cooked a
chicken. It tuned out fine, but we didn’t
eat everything. It got spoiled. So, I called
my wife and asked for help.
Final exercise: Change the verbs in their past tense

Talk Guess leave relax Embody

Land Extend Stop Work Skate
check plan move Follow envision
Mumble close Attend hate Advice
Divide Rent Stir Smoke Stay
Tweak help Pull fill Shave
shout Travel drop Damage mould
Want agree Explore Accompany Appeal
Dry Perform end detain Mix
contact Trick Cook Change Cry
Kiss Visit Waste Respect graduate
Type treat Jail kick Listen
Pour Switch scold bake escape
arrest cover Pack Open Pretend
fix