How to Pronounce -ed and -s/-es Endings: Easy Rules
How to pronounce -ed (/t/, /d/, /ɪd/) and -s/-es (/s/, /z/, /ɪz/) endings from the final sound of a word, with example tables, exceptions and a quick quiz.
The -ed ending has three pronunciations: /ɪd/, /t/ and /d/. The -s/-es ending also has three: /ɪz/, /s/ and /z/. Which one you use depends not on the last letter but on the last sound of the base word — the sound you see in its IPA transcription. Learn this one rule and you can pronounce almost every past-tense verb, plural noun and third-person verb correctly.
The key idea: voiceless and voiced sounds
Both rules depend on whether the final sound is voiceless or voiced:
- Voiceless sounds: your vocal cords do not vibrate. These are /p/, /k/, /f/, /θ/, /s/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/ (and /t/).
- Voiced sounds: your vocal cords vibrate. These are all vowels plus /b/, /ɡ/, /v/, /ð/, /z/, /ʒ/, /dʒ/, /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/, /r/ (and /d/).
Quick test: put your fingers on your throat and say the sound. If you feel a buzz, it is voiced.
How to pronounce -ed
| Final sound of the base word | -ed sounds like | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| /t/ or /d/ | /ɪd/ | wanted /ˈwɒntɪd/, needed /ˈniːdɪd/, decided |
| Voiceless: /p/, /k/, /f/, /θ/, /s/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/ | /t/ | stopped /stɒpt/, looked /lʊkt/, laughed /lɑːft/, washed /wɒʃt/, watched /wɒtʃt/ |
| Any other voiced sound (including vowels) | /d/ | played /pleɪd/, called /kɔːld/, lived /lɪvd/, opened /ˈəʊpənd/ |
Note: only /ɪd/ adds an extra syllable. Looked is still one syllable, /lʊkt/ — not "look-ed".
Memory tips for -ed
- /ɪd/: the base word already ends in a /t/ or /d/ sound, so you need a vowel to separate them: want-ed, need-ed.
- /t/: the base word ends in a voiceless sound, so the ending stays voiceless. Think of the hissing and popping sounds in stopped, looked, laughed, kissed, washed, watched.
- /d/: everything else.
-ed exceptions
Some adjectives ending in -ed are always pronounced /ɪd/, whatever the final sound:
| Word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| naked | /ˈneɪkɪd/ |
| wicked | /ˈwɪkɪd/ |
| beloved | /bɪˈlʌvɪd/ |
| sacred | /ˈseɪkrɪd/ |
| crooked | /ˈkrʊkɪd/ |
| rugged | /ˈrʌɡɪd/ |
| aged (very old) | /ˈeɪdʒɪd/ |
| learned (scholarly) | /ˈlɜːnɪd/ |
As verbs, aged is /eɪdʒd/ and learned is /lɜːnd/.
How to pronounce -s/-es
This rule covers plural nouns (cats), third-person singular verbs (he works), possessives (Tom's) and contractions (it's).
| Final sound of the base word | -s/-es sounds like | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Hissing sounds: /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/ | /ɪz/ | buses /ˈbʌsɪz/, roses, washes, garages, watches, pages |
| Voiceless: /p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, /θ/ | /s/ | cups /kʌps/, cats /kæts/, books, laughs, months |
| Any other voiced sound (including vowels) | /z/ | dogs /dɒɡz/, pens /penz/, plays /pleɪz/, trees |
Memory tips for -s/-es
- /ɪz/: the base word ends in a hissing or buzzing sound, usually spelled s, x, z, ch, sh, ge or ce. You need a vowel in between, just as with /ɪd/.
- /s/: the base word ends in a voiceless sound: p, t, k, f, th.
- /z/: everything else — which is most words.
Cases to watch
- Spelling hides the sound: laugh ends in the letters gh but the sound /f/, so laughs is /lɑːfs/. Always check the sound, not the letter.
- The base sound changes: house /haʊs/ → houses /ˈhaʊzɪz/. The /s/ of the base word becomes /z/.
- Silent e: make ends in the sound /k/, so makes is /meɪks/, not /ɪz/.
Common mistakes
- Dropping the ending. "I work yesterday" instead of worked. Listeners cannot tell whether you mean past or present.
- Adding an extra syllable. Saying stopped as "stop-ped". Only /ɪd/ and /ɪz/ add a syllable.
- Saying /z/ as /s/. Dogs should end in a buzzing /z/, not a hissing /s/.
- Going by spelling instead of sound. Fixed ends in the sound /s/ (/ks/), so it is /fɪkst/.
Quick quiz
Say these words aloud and decide on the ending before checking the answers:
- helped
- visited
- cleaned
- boxes
- maps
- songs
Answers: 1. /t/ · 2. /ɪd/ · 3. /d/ · 4. /ɪz/ · 5. /s/ · 6. /z/
Frequently asked questions
Why does -ed have three pronunciations?
Native speakers make the ending easy to join to the sound before it. After a voiceless sound the ending is voiceless (/t/); after a voiced sound it is voiced (/d/); after /t/ and /d/ a vowel /ɪ/ is added to separate two similar sounds.
Do I need to pronounce endings clearly in fast speech?
Yes, but without stressing them. Final /t/, /d/, /s/ and /z/ are said lightly and often link to the next word — looked at sounds like "look-tat". What matters is not dropping them.
How do I know the final sound of a word?
Look up its IPA transcription in a dictionary. If you cannot read IPA yet, start with our English IPA chart guide.
Practise final sounds on Whisper
Clear endings depend on single sounds such as /t/, /d/, /s/ and /z/. In IPA Practice you can pick exactly these sounds, listen to model words, record yourself and get a score and a tip for each word. A few minutes a day will make -ed and -s/-es endings feel natural when you speak.
The English Whisper Team