Saturday, 10 October 2009

Pronunciation of regular past simple verbs /id/, /d/ and /t/ (Elementary +) Fun activity!

Most learners of English have problems pronouncing past tenses correctly. Fortunately, there are only three different ways of pronouncing the ending of regular verbs, which can be expressed by the phonetic symbols of /id/, /d/ and /t/.

Even more fortunately is that of the three, the sound of /id/ is the most obvious, and also the easiest to identify. The past simple of regular verbs ending with the sound of /d/ or /t/ is pronounced with the ending of /id/. Please note that it's the sound and not the letter which you have to pay attention to. For example, depend /dɪˈpend/ --> depended /dɪˈpendid/, want /wɒnt/ --> wanted /'wɒntid/.

If in doubt of the ending sound, consult the dictionary.

To identify when to pronounce the past with a /d/ or a /t/ is somewhat trickier. The rule is that if the ending sound is voiced, it is pronounced with a /d/ and if it is voiceless, it is pronounced with a /t/.

All vowels are voiced, so you 'only' have to worry about the consonants. When you make a voiced sound, your throat vibrates whereas when you make a voiceless sound, it is just air coming out of your mouth. You can hear the difference by trying this test: cover your ears and say 'save' /seɪv/ and 'cough' /kɒf/. You will find that you can feel a vibration at the end of 'save' and not 'cough', which means 'saved' will be pronounced /seɪvd/, while 'cough' will be pronounced /kɒft/.

Try practising the pronunciation of some words using the method mentioned above before attempting this game. The idea is to drag-and-drop each item in the correct bin as fast as you can. If your answer is wrong, you won't be allowed to put the word in that bin, and you'll have to try again.

Have fun!

Note to teachers: you are welcome to use any of the activities found here in this blog. You can have the students do them in the computer lab, or set them as homework and asking them to state their scores in the comments section. If you do the latter, please ask your students to give some information which will allow you to identify them. They don't have to give their surname if they don't want to, but information like their first name, the name of the school, the class, and the teacher's name are all useful identifiers, e.g. Jesús V./4ºA/Rincón/Chiew.

Posted by at 23:27
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69 comments:

  1. Saro11 October 2009 at 19:24

    thanks chiew,i have left the badge in my blog. 

    ReplyDelete
  2. selene23 October 2009 at 22:14

    <span style="color: #808080;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chew I have got a 51 puntuecion is very nice</span></span>

    Thanks for you copereicion (R) :-D Laughing

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chiew23 October 2009 at 22:56

    Selene! :-D So glad to see you finally made it here, but you've done the wrong activity!
    You should be doing these:
    http://acliltoclimb.blogspot.com/2009/09/elementary-science-states-of-matter.html
    http://acliltoclimb.blogspot.com/2009/09/elementary-science-states-of-matter_24.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. pepa14 January 2010 at 12:28

    <span>hello</span>

    ReplyDelete
  5. andres14 January 2010 at 12:40

    <span>hello chiew !</span> :-[
    How are you ? I find and you ?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Isaac Dimas Alejandro14 January 2010 at 12:43

    My score is 150 or 200 i donT remember xD LOL

    ReplyDelete
  7. yLee & aLex14 January 2010 at 12:45

    <span>Our score was
    200</span>

    ReplyDelete
  8. pauLa anD SamueL14 January 2010 at 12:53

        WE SCORE IS 183...
    II LOOOVE CHIEW !

    ReplyDelete
  9. PAOLA HARVEN18 January 2010 at 20:11

    <span>My score is 300. See you ;) </span>

    ReplyDelete
  10. PAOLA HARVEN18 January 2010 at 20:11

    <span>My score is 300. See you ;) Nos vemos </span>

    ReplyDelete
  11. mauro harven18 January 2010 at 20:31

    <span>My score is 220. I know that I´m the best. ;) 8-) </span>

    ReplyDelete
  12. Chiew18 January 2010 at 20:35

    Keep on practising, you two: try to get the timing down.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Noelia harven20 January 2010 at 17:27

    my escore is 205.I am the best. :-D :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. jose maria harven20 January 2010 at 22:10

    <span>my score is 240</span>

    ReplyDelete
  15. Chiew20 January 2010 at 22:27

    Ok, don't forget that with the dustbin game, the score is the time you take to finish the activity correctly, meaning that the lower your score the better you are. I hope that with this game, your pronunciation will improve! 8-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Elenita=)22 January 2010 at 16:40

    <span>Mi puntuación es de 250 guay ... :-D </span>

    ReplyDelete
  17. Fernando Harven25 January 2010 at 17:21

    MY SCORE IS 223
    :'(

    ReplyDelete
  18. alba dominguez 2ª A IES.LOS TARAHALES26 January 2010 at 10:39

    <span>MY SCORE IS 280 </span> :-D

    ReplyDelete
  19. alba 2ª A IES.LOS TARAHALES26 January 2010 at 10:41

    <span>MY SCORE IS 280</span> :-D

    ReplyDelete
  20. Chiew27 January 2010 at 19:37

    I hope it has been of use to you, Alba. It's a pity only you have tried it.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Elenita=)2ºA IES Los Tarahales.28 January 2010 at 19:06

    <span>Voy Mejorando k guay Chiew... :-D 210 de antes 250.</span>

    ReplyDelete
  22. Elenita=)2ºA IES Los Tarahales.28 January 2010 at 19:09

    <span>Voy mejorando Chiew que guay :-D </span>

    ReplyDelete
  23. Chiew28 January 2010 at 20:06

    I'm happy to hear that, Elena. :) :-D :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous27 February 2010 at 19:45

    I did 132... :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Chiew27 February 2010 at 20:21

    Well done, but I sure would have liked to know who you are and where you are from! *DONT_KNOW*

    ReplyDelete
  26. LauRa8 April 2010 at 09:36

    Esta chachii..

    ReplyDelete
  27. Clauudia :$8 April 2010 at 09:42

    <span>este es mas aburrido tio ¬¬
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  28. Clauudia :$8 April 2010 at 09:44

    my score is 245 :$

    ReplyDelete
  29. Clauudia :$8 April 2010 at 09:47

    <span>ajjaajaj esta chachi dise la lauura ih (L)
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  30. dimas8 April 2010 at 12:45

    <span>my score its 236 an d the time its 236
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  31. yleeniia! 2º B8 April 2010 at 12:45

    <span>My score is 265
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  32. Paula 2ºB8 April 2010 at 12:47

    My score is 208 ;)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Sariiss 2ºB!!8 April 2010 at 12:47

    <span>mysocre is 318 hahahahaha</span> :-P

    ReplyDelete
  34. josé daniel 4º.A29 April 2010 at 13:37

    <span>my time is 173.
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  35. ELIZABETH PADRÓN 4º A29 April 2010 at 13:39

    MY SCORE WAS 300

    ReplyDelete
  36. David 4ºA Tarahales29 April 2010 at 13:39

    <span>My score is 287. Game over ooooooooh</span> :'(

    ReplyDelete
  37. Attay Socas 4ºA29 April 2010 at 13:40

    <span>My score was 316
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  38. Coraima 4ºA IES lOS Tarahales29 April 2010 at 13:40

    <span>my score is 261..</span> :-D

    ReplyDelete
  39. Anjor IES Los Tarahales !! 4ºA29 April 2010 at 13:40

    <span>Our score is 171</span> =-X !!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Sulema Los Tarahales 4ºA29 April 2010 at 13:45

    <span>My score was 331
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  41. Ana and Dacil 4ºA IES Los Tarahales29 April 2010 at 13:45

    <span>Our score was 331.
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  42. Kirilo el creisi18 May 2010 at 11:40

    <span>My puntuation is 250 ( soy el mas creisi del mundoooo )
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  43. Kirilo el creisi18 May 2010 at 11:42

    <span>My puntuation is 161 ( Soy el mas creisi del mundo creisie ^^ )
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  44. elii!18 May 2010 at 11:49

    <span>my score is 89.. :D!
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  45. Albaa :)18 May 2010 at 11:57

    My score is 182 :'( ..

    ReplyDelete
  46. Super Lu^^!18 May 2010 at 11:57

    My time was 187 !! muajjajajajaja

    ReplyDelete
  47. Sebaas :)18 May 2010 at 12:00

    <span>My score is 190 !!
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  48. Chiew18 May 2010 at 13:25

    Well done, you all!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Anonymous29 May 2011 at 17:30

    Hey - I am certainly happy to discover this. cool job!

    ReplyDelete
  50. selene7 July 2011 at 09:04

    <span style="color: #808080;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chew I have got a 51 puntuecion is very nice</span></span>

    Thanks for you copereicion (R) :-D Laughing

    ReplyDelete
  51. andres7 July 2011 at 09:04

    <span>hello chiew !</span> :-[
    How are you ? I find and you ?

    ReplyDelete
  52. Isaac Dimas Alejandro7 July 2011 at 09:04

    My score is 150 or 200 i donT remember xD LOL

    ReplyDelete
  53. PAOLA HARVEN7 July 2011 at 09:04

    <span>My score is 300. See you ;) Nos vemos </span>

    ReplyDelete
  54. Ana and Dacil 4ºA IES Los Tara7 July 2011 at 09:04

    <span>Our score was 331.
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  55. Sebaas :)7 July 2011 at 09:04

    <span>My score is 190 !!
    </span>

    ReplyDelete
  56. Albaa :)7 July 2011 at 09:04

    My score is 182 :'( ..

    ReplyDelete
  57. Gema15 April 2012 at 17:11

    My score is 184 , 1D EOI

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chiew15 April 2012 at 17:14

      Well done! I hope it's helped you learn the correct pronunciation.

      Delete
  58. Anonymous15 April 2012 at 19:19

    My score is 114, I´m Silvia Pérez, EOI II, Básico I, ID, con Pilar

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15 April 2012 at 23:57

      Congratulations!! That's a really good score!!
      Keep on working hard!!

      Pilar Blanco

      Delete
  59. Anonymous15 April 2012 at 20:05

    my score is 335, I´m Dolores Barreto ,EOI II, Básico 1 D con Pilar

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16 April 2012 at 00:00

      Hi!! I'm glad you have done the game and I hope it has helped you pronounce simple past endings a bit better. Thank you for trying!!

      Keep on working hard! Pilar Blanco

      Delete
  60. Anonymous15 April 2012 at 20:26

    I´m iñaki. My score es 108. EOI II, Básico I, 1ºI.. con Macu

    ReplyDelete
  61. J.Yeray17 April 2012 at 18:22

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  62. J.Yeray17 April 2012 at 20:46

    My score is 116, I´m Jose Yeray Socorro, EOI II, Básico 1D, with Pilar

    ReplyDelete
  63. Anonymous18 April 2012 at 14:25

    My score is 188, I´m Saray Quintana, EOI II, Básico I, ID, con Pilar

    ReplyDelete
  64. Carlos Camaho20 April 2012 at 13:14

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Carlos Camaho20 April 2012 at 13:16

    Hi!! Pilar Blanco. I'm Carlos Camacho (EOI Las Palmas II, "NB1D") I tried to play well, but my score is 364. It's more difficult for me. I will continue practicing...
    I lovely this blog!!

    ReplyDelete
  66. Anonymous21 April 2012 at 16:54

    Pino Esther Santana (EOI Las Palmas II, NBID)
    Past simple, I need to learn more.
    But I like me this exercise.

    ReplyDelete

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