When learning to cue English, beginners are sometimes influenced by spelling. This can be true for the various ways "-ed" endings are cued. A common beginner error is to cue all words that end with -ed with the /ddddddddd/ phoneme. However, some words that end with -ed actually end with the /ttttttttt/ phoneme.
So, what’s the pattern for past tense "-ed" words?
1) If the root word ends in a voiced sound (other than /ddddddddd/), the [-ed] ending is pronounced (cued) /ddddddddd/.
| Final Consonant | Examples |
| /ʒzhzhʒzhzhʒzhzh/ | camouflaged |
| /zzzzzzzzz/ | buzzed, caused |
| /vvvvvvvvv/ | saved, served |
| /ðt͟htHðt͟htHðt͟htH/ | soothed |
| /rrrrrrrrr/ | soared, barred |
| /bbbbbbbbb/ | sobbed |
| /nnnnnnnnn/ | planned |
| /mmmmmmmmm/ | trimmed |
| /lllllllll/ | billed |
| /ggggggggg/ | bagged |
| /ʤjjʤjjʤjj/ | urged |
| /ŋngngŋngngŋngng/ | banged |
| (vowels) | played, annoyed, accrued |
Exceptions to this rule include spilt, spelt, dealt, dremt.
2) If the root word ends in /ttttttttt/ or /ddddddddd/, the [-ed] ending is pronounced (cued) /ɪĭiɪĭiɪĭiddddddddd/ or /əəəəəəəəəddddddddd/.
| waited | knitted | voted |
| /wwwwwwwwweɪāayeɪāayeɪāayˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈtttttttttɪĭiɪĭiɪĭiddddddddd/ or /wwwwwwwwweɪāayeɪāayeɪāayˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈtttttttttəəəəəəəəəddddddddd/ | /nnnnnnnnnɪĭiɪĭiɪĭiˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈtttttttttɪĭiɪĭiɪĭiddddddddd/ or /nnnnnnnnnɪĭiɪĭiɪĭiˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈtttttttttəəəəəəəəəddddddddd/ | /vvvvvvvvvoʊōohoʊōohoʊōohˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈtttttttttɪĭiɪĭiɪĭiddddddddd/ or /vvvvvvvvvoʊōohoʊōohoʊōohˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈˈtttttttttəəəəəəəəəddddddddd/ |
3) If the root ends with a voiceless sound (other than /t/), the ending is cued as /t/.
| Final Consonant | Examples |
| /kkkkkkkkk/ | worked |
| /ppppppppp/ | sipped |
| /sssssssss/ | missed |
| /ssssssssshhhhhhhhh/ | washed |
| /ttttttttthhhhhhhhh/ | frothed |