-ed ending
Rule Core
-ed marks the past tense/participle of regular verbs. Its sound depends on the final phoneme: /t/, /d/, or /ɪd/.
Articulation Guide
/t/: after voiceless sounds; tongue to alveolar ridge, no voicing. /d/: after vowels or voiced sounds; same place with vocal cord vibration. /ɪd/: only after /t/ or /d/, adding a light syllable.
Word Analysis
skilled ends in /l/ (voiced), so -ed = /d/, pronounced /skɪld/ with no extra beat.
Pitfall Guide
Do not pronounce every -ed as /ɪd/. This rule excludes irregular verbs and spelling-driven assumptions.
Phonics Breakdown
Tongue to alveolar ridge: no voicing = /t/, voicing = /d/; add short /ɪ/ only after /t/ or /d/.
Sound Reference
- Judge by the final sound, not the letter
- Touch your throat to feel voicing
Common Mistakes
Pronouncing all -ed as /ɪd/
Ignoring voicing differences