Past Tense
Past Tense: In English, the most common way of
making a verb past tense is to add the ‘ed’ ending.
However, the ‘ed’ ending is not pronounced the same
in all words. The ‘ed’ can have three different sounds.
It can sound like a ‘d’ (which is the most common), it
can sound like a ‘t’ or it can sound like ‘id.’
When you see the “speaker icon” you can click it for a
short audio presentation, when you see a video image,
click it to play the video.
Past Tense
Download the list of verbs that goes with this exercise
and make each of the words in the list past tense and
then say it aloud. Write the correct ‘ed’ sound in the
blank next to each word (better use a pencil in case
you make a mistake). Now listen to the pronunciation
of the words and check your answers (you may have to
listen more than once).
Past Tense
After you listen, check and see which ones you missed.
Do you see any patterns? Is there anything that will help
you predict which words have which sounds? Which
sound was the most common (was it ‘d’)?
Past Tense – List 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Ask
Brush
Call
Change
Check
Clench
Close
Concern
Decay
Decide
Diagnose
Past Tense – List 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Ask [t]
Brush [t]
Call [d]
Change [d]
Check [t]
Clench [t]
Close [d]
Concern [d]
Decay [d]
Decide [id]
Diagnose [t]
Past Tense – List 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Enhance
Enjoy
Fix
Floss
Lift
Look
Observe
Open
Polish
Recede
Past Tense – List 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Enhance [t]
Enjoy [d]
Exam [d]
Fix [t]
Floss [t]
Lift [id]
Look [t]
Observe [d]
Open [d]
Polish [t]
Recede [id]
Past Tense – List 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Refer
Repair
Review
Rinse
Scare
Seat
Show
Skill
Smile
Past Tense – List 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Refer [d]
Repair [d]
Review [d]
Rinse [t]
Scare [d]
Seat [id]
Show [d]
Skill [d]
Smile [d]
Past Tense – List 4
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Soak
Sterilize
Swish
Treat
Turn
Use
Want
Wash
Work
Past Tense – List 4
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Soak [t]
Sterilize [d]
Swish [t]
Treat [id]
Turn [d]
Use [d] or [t] depending on usage
Want [id]
Wash [t]
Work [t]
Thanks
I hope you found this little presentation helpful.
I’m sure there will be more to come.
If you have any comments or suggestions please contact
me.
Tom.secrest@yahoo.com