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Pronunciation for Beginners (or a great refresher for higher levels!)
-ED pronunciation is difficult for English language learners. In this 20-30 minute lesson, you will introduce the three different pronunciations for -ed endings – [t], [d] and [Id]. In addition, the lesson covers a short explanation of voiced and unvoiced sounds.
At the end of the lesson, students can work in pairs to practice -ed endings. You can also supplement this lesson with past simple or past participle flashcards.
Happy teaching!
Step 1: Download the free PDF of the PowerPoint
Download the free PDF of the PowerPoint below.
Step 2: Activate Prior Knowledge
Next, show students the three words on slide number 2. Ask them to pronounce the words.
Then, model each word’s pronunciation and ask students to compare their pronunciation with yours. Was it the same?
Step 3: Introduce [t] and [d] pronunciation along with voiced and unvoiced sounds
Explain that -ed pronunciation depends on the sound directly before the -ed ending. Introduce the concept of voiced and unvoiced sounds by showing students how to check for vibration by placing a hand over their throat. Use the slides as a guide.
To make the lesson longer, you can cover voiced and unvoiced sounds in more depth with a phonetic alphabet chart.
Step 4: Introduce the [Id] sound and its rule
Follow the slides to introduce this sound and its rule. Ask students to brainstorm words with this pattern.
Step 5: Practice!
Finally, divide students into pairs or trios. Show the students the list of words and ask them to write the correct -ed ending pronunciation, either [t], [d], or [Id]. Check answers as a class.
For a longer lesson, you can practice more with lists or flashcards of regular past simple verbs. Memory or go fish type games are great for this.
Final Thoughts
-ED pronunciation is important and can be taught, or refreshed, at any level. I hope you enjoyed this free lesson! If you are teaching higher-level learners, check out another free lesson on B2 Vocabulary for Speaking. If you are teaching online, you might like this free Zoom lesson plan on prepositions of place.
If you like this lesson, save the pin below on your LESSON PLANS board on Pinterest.
