Regular verbs in English are wonderfully straightforward when it comes to forming the past simple and past participle. You simply add "-ed" to the base form of the verb. However, the pronunciation of this "-ed" ending can vary, leading to three distinct sounds: /ɪd/, /t/, and /d/.

Forming Regular Verbs

Here's the basic rule for forming the past simple and past participle of regular verbs:

Base Form + "-ed" = Past Simple and Past Participle

Examples:

• walk + "-ed" = walked
• jump + "-ed" = jumped
• play + "-ed" = played
• start + "-ed" = started
• love + "-ed" = loved

Pronouncing the "-ed" Ending

The pronunciation of the "-ed" ending depends on the sound that comes before it:

1. /ɪd/ Sound:

• If the base verb ends in the sounds /t/ or /d/, the "-ed" ending is pronounced as a separate syllable /ɪd/.
• Examples:
  • wanted (/ˈwɒntɪd/)
  • needed (/ˈniːdɪd/)
  • started (/ˈstɑːtɪd/)
  • decided (/dɪˈsaɪdɪd/)

1. /t/ Sound:

• If the base verb ends in a voiceless consonant sound (p, k, f, s, sh, ch, x), the "-ed" ending is pronounced as a /t/ sound.
• Examples:
  • looked (/lʊkt/)
  • helped (/helpt/)
  • watched (/wɒtʃt/)
  • missed (/mɪst/)

1. /d/ Sound:

• If the base verb ends in a voiced consonant sound (b, g, v, z, m, n, ŋ, l, r) or a vowel sound, the "-ed" ending is pronounced as a /d/ sound.