“–ED Endings: Why ‘Worked,’ ‘Live...

“–ED Endings: Why ‘Worked,’ ‘Lived,’ and ‘Wanted’ Sound Different”

The Accent Journey Podcast por Steven D. Nelson
E4
22 feb 2026
08:12

Notas del episodio

One area that non-native speakers of English frequently struggle with at all levels is pronouncing "-ed" endings in past tense verbs (such as "worked," "lived" and "needed"). This can be challenging because despite only having one spelling, these endings can be pronounced three different ways:

  • with a t sound (after voiceless consonants)
  • with a d sound (after voiced consonants and vowels)
  • with an ed sound in an extra syllable (after the letters "t" and "d")

Accent coach Steven Nelson breaks it down for us in this episode with practice words, sentences, and a new practice passage:

"Last year, I worked on several projects and learned new skills. I joined a new team, attended meetings, and completed tasks on time. At first, it felt challenging, but I stayed focused and finished everything I started.”

The Accent Journey Podcast is brought to you by AccentFirst Speech Communication Services. Find us online at accentfirst.com.

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Music: Vendredi - Hypnosis ( Free Download & Free Copyright ) by Vendredi is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Palabras clave

accent reduction
american accent
endings

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