-ed past
Core Rule
Regular verbs form the past tense with -ed. The pronunciation depends on the final sound of the base verb: /t/ after voiceless consonants, /d/ after voiced sounds or vowels, and /ɪd/ after /t/ or /d/.
Articulation Guide
/t/: tongue touches the alveolar ridge, strong airflow; /d/: same position with voicing; /ɪd/: add a short vowel /ɪ/ before /d/.
Word Analysis
cooked /kʊkt/: ends in voiceless /k/ → /t/. provided /prəˈvaɪdɪd/: ends in /d/ → /ɪd/. reserved /rɪˈzɜːvd/: ends in voiced /v/ → /d/.
Pitfalls
Spelling does not equal sound; avoid overusing /ɪd/.
Phonics Breakdown
Check voicing → choose /t/ or /d/; add short /ɪ/ after /t,d/
Sound Reference
- Identify the final sound, not the letter
- Touch your throat to feel voicing
Common Mistakes
Reading cooked as /kʊkɪd/
Ignoring voicing differences