Adding -ed: three sounds, one spelling

When does the rule apply?

Students who spell by sound write "jumpt" and "playd", and they are hearing correctly. What they need to learn is that English keeps one spelling for the suffix so the meaning stays visible: -ed means past. The sound is predictable from the last sound of the base word. After /t/ or /d/, -ed adds a syllable. After an unvoiced sound such as /p/, /k/, /s/, /sh/ or /ch/, it says /t/. After everything else it says /d/. Spelling changes still apply on top: stopped, hoped, cried.

Words that follow the rule

Words that break the rule

How do you teach it?

Have students rest a hand on their throat and say /p/, then /b/. The buzz in /b/ is voicing. Sort base words by their last sound, voiced or unvoiced, and the -ed sounds sort themselves. Start with the /ed/ group, since that extra syllable is the easiest to hear.

"Read this: h-o-p-e-d. The base is 'hope'. What's its last sound? /p/. Hand on your throat. No buzz, so it's unvoiced, and -ed says /t/: hoped. Now 'landed'. Base 'land', last sound /d/. After t or d, -ed gets its own syllable: land-ed."

What is the common error, and the fix?

Spelling errors are "jumpt", "playd" and "wantid". Reading errors run the other way: students read "jumped" as two syllables, "jump-ed". The spelling fix is the meaning rule: past tense is -ed, always. The reading fix is to check the last sound of the base word before saying the ending.

Sort it: a hands-on activity

Use three headers: /ed/, /d/ and /t/. Students read each -ed card, say it and place it. Then they cover the -ed and say the last sound of the base word to check. Mix in doubled and drop-e words so those spelling changes get practice too.

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