Mastering the American Accent » Linking ed Ending and a Vowel

Linking ed Ending and a Vowel

Linking is connecting the final sound of one word to the first sound of the following word. You will need to learn to link words together to create smooth, natural speech. This is discussed in much greater detail in Chapter Eight, “Sound Like a True Native Speaker.” It is especially important for you to learn to link words with ed endings. The final /t/ and /d/ sounds are much easier to pronounce if they are connected to the vowel that follows it.

example:sounds like:
1. stayed instay din
2. turned onturn don
3. developed adevelop ta
4. needed anee de da

Words for Practice

  1. worried _ about
  2. looked _ at
  3. talked _ about
  4. interested _ in
  5. worked _ on
  6. liked _ it

More Linking Practice: -ed + it

Practice linking the final consonant to the word it.

/Id/ verbs
  1. I needed _ it.
  2. I painted _ it.
  3. I attended _ it.
  4. I admitted _ it.
/t/ verbs
  1. I cooked _ it.
  2. I liked _ it.
  3. I watched _ it.
  4. I stopped _ it.
/d/ verbs
  1. I used _ it.
  2. I cleaned _ it.
  3. I changed _ it.
  4. I loved _ it.

Practice Dialogues for -ed Verbs

  1. a. What did you think of the movie?
    b. I liked _ it a lot.
  2. a. What did you do with the money?
    b. I deposited _ it in the bank.
  3. a. How did you cook the chicken?
    b. I fried _ it in oil.
  4. a. Is the heater on?
    b. No, I turned _ it off.
  5. a. When did you paint the room?
    b. I painted _ it last week.

Practice Dialogues

The Job Interview

Listen to the -ed endings of the past tense verbs and try to determine which of the three possible sounds you hear: /d/, /t/, or /Id/. In the first part of the job interview, each of the -ed verbs is followed by a word that starts with a vowel. Make sure you are linking these two words.

Interviewer:Tell me about some of your experiences as a university student.
Job Seeker:I studied _ accounting and finance.
I graduated _ at the top of my class.
I maintained _ a 4.0 GPA.
I played _ on my college basketball team and participated _ in many extra-curricular activities.
I volunteered _ at the homeless shelter.
I partied _ every weekend.
I dated _ a lot of pretty girls.
I loved _ every minute of it.
Interviewer:Describe some of your personal qualities that would make you qualified for this position.
Job Seeker:I am detail-oriented/Id/, highly motivated/Id/ and organized/Id/. I am also focused and determined/Id/, and I work well in a fast-paced/Id/ environment. I have an advanced/Id/ knowledge of computers. I am also educated/Id/ and well traveled/Id/.

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