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jo23 · Joined: 24 Nov 2004 Posts: 6

Hi
Maybe this is a really easy question, but I've just spent over an hour looking for rules to explain simple past ending pronunciations.
I've got a student who has big problems with these and all I can find is practice exercises, such as listen to the word and put it into the right group -t,d or id.
The student says things such as 'I liked' but pronounced id.

Does anyone know the rules? Or is it something they will just have to practice and remember?

Thanks Very Happy

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dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

put your fingers on your throat. say 'pull' On the last sound you will feel movement in your throat so it's a /d/. Now say the word 'push' There's no vibration this time. so it's a /t/ So for voiced phonems it's /d/ and for unvoiced it's /t/

thelmadatter · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 2:25 pm Post subject: t and d

Let me add one more thing to dmb nice explanation. His rule works for everything but for words ending in "t" and "d" (the sounds, not necessarily the letters) for a verb like "need" the past is pronounced "nided" the extra syllable is added.

vre · Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 371

I think this is the general rule

/d/ sound after a vowel or voiced consonent (refer to DMB's post)

stayed, tried, closed, cleaned

/t/ sound after a voiceless consonent

liked, jumped, washed,

/id after t or d.

started, added, lifted, invited

dajiang · Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 663 Location: Guilin!

right.
it's similar to the rule for how to pronounce -s at the end of verbs.

/s/ if last consonant is voiceless
walks
/z/ if last consonant is voiced (or if it's a vowel)
pays
/iz/ if last consonant is a s or z.
dances

carnac · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:21 pm Post subject:

In direct answer to the question, in a way that will not confuse students:
After "t" or "d", you say "id". (wanted, demanded, rented, landed)
These are the ONLY times you say "id". (with some exceptions for very advanced students).
Later with more advanced students you can go on to "k" (naked) and "g:"(jagged) and the older forms such as aged and learned, in this specific sense pronounced "age-ID" and "learn-ID", and explain the differences in meaning between the pronunciations. He aged rapidly. He was an aged man. He learned English. He was a learned man.
Hope this is helpful.

jo23 · Joined: 24 Nov 2004 Posts: 6

Thanks a lot for your replies! It will make my lesson tomorrow much easier Very Happy