Pronouncing "ed" words

Pronouncing “-ed” words can be tricky. Sometimes “-ed” sounds like a “d” (warned). Sometimes “-ed” sounds like “id” (wanted). Sometimes “-ed” sounds like a “t” (worked). The pronunciation rules are complicated, but usually the sound of the syllable before the “-ed” decides how the “-ed” is pronounced. Let’s try some:

1 Started
2 needed
3 reached
4 regarded
5 decided
6 propped
7 locked
8 realized
9 noticed
10 bolted
11 descended
12 glanced
13 looked
14 renovated
15 closed
16 discovered
17 examined
18 painted
19 permitted
20 pulled

Idioms XIV

1. grin and bear—accept a difficult situation and make the best of it—If you don’t like your job, you have to grin and bear it until you can find a new one.

2. gift of gab—natural ability to talk to and persuade people—A good salesman usually has the gift of gab.

3. your hands are tied—you are unable to control a situation—The banker wanted to approve the loan, but his hands were tied due to the new regulations.

4. your heart goes out—you have sympathy for someone—My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a loved one.

5. your heart is in the right place—you are trying to do the right thing even if you don’t always do it—I don’t always agree with my son’s coach, but I know his heart is in the right place.

6. your heart isn’t in it—you don’t want to do something—I agreed to work in the yard with my husband, but my heart really wasn’t in it.

7. a head start—an advantage over other people—If you can graduate from college with good grades, you will have a head start over other job seekers.

8. a hidden agenda—a secret motive—We thought the Susan really loved Bill, but she had a hidden agenda to get his money.

9. half-baked—not well thought out—It’s hard for me to deal with people who have half-baked ideas.