For example, sometimes DIFFERENT letters make the SAME sounds, like: “Daisy is in great shape.”
But at other times, the SAME letters make DIFFERENT sounds, like: “Eat bread & steak.”
So it is with the /-ed/ at the end of many verbs. In fact, you can put regular verbs into the past tense by just putting an /-ed/ at the end. It’s like this:
We play today. We played yesterday.
The problem, though, is the pronounciation of that /-ed/. In fact, there are THREE ways to say it, based on what word it is in. Let me explain; there are three rules.
Rule 1: If the base word ends with a /d/ or /t/ SOUND, add an extra syllable so that the word ends with the /-id/ sound. (NOTE: Some English words end with the /d/ or /t/ SOUND, but that is not that actual letter. For example, “hate” ends with an /e/, but the /t/ sound.
hated (hate-id)
wanted (want-id)
painted (paint-id)
ended (end-id)
decided (decide-id)
suggested (suggest-id)
started (start-id)
completed (complete-id)
repeated (repeat-id)
budgeted (budget-id)
Rule 2: If the base word ends with the sounds “p,” “f,” “s,” “x,” “ch,” “sh,” or “k,” then the word ends with the /t/ sound. Again, be careful. The word “promise” ends with the letter “e,” but it ends with the /s/ SOUND. “Laugh” ends with the letters “gh,” but it ends with the /f/ SOUND.
hoped /t/
laughed /t/
based /t/
faxed /t/
watched /t/
washed /t/
liked /t/
talked /t/
walked /t/
Rule 3: This is the easiest rule of the three; all other sounds end with /d/!
played /d/
cried /d/
cleaned /d/
grabbed /d/
allowed /d/
mentioned /d/
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Sources: https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/how-to-pronounce-ed.html and https://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/-ed.htm