Vowel
= a sound we make when the breath flows out through the mouth freely,
without being blocked. The English letters a, e, i, o, u are called vowels,
because they represent such sounds.
Consonant =
a sound we make that is not a vowel. The breath is somehow blocked on
its way out of the mouth. For example, the sound b
is made when breath flow is stopped with the lips. All
the English
letters which are not vowels are called consonants. These are: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z.
Download
a free worksheet + answer key.
Some verbs change their spelling
when "ed" is added to them.
Verbs ending
with
"consonant-vowel-consonant"
When a verb ends with a consonant-vowel-consonant
and we put STRESS on this sound in speech, we double the last consonant.
Then we add ed.
In the following examples the consonant is in blue,
the vowel is in green,
and ed is
in red.
The STRESS is underlined.
stop
=>
stopp + ed
=>
stopped
plan
=>
plann + ed
=>
planned
But if we don't put STRESS on this sound in speech, then we
simply add ed.
open
=>
open + ed
=>
opened
visit
=>
visit + ed
=>
visited
listen
=>
listen + ed
=>
listened
happen
=>
happen + ed
=>
happened
Verbs ending with "e"
When a verb ends with the letter e,
we add only the letter d.
In the following examples the letter e is in purple,
and the letter d
is
in red.
dance
=>
dance + d
=>
danced
smile
=>
smile + d
=>
smiled
Verbs ending with "y"
When a verb ends with the letter y
and there is a consonant
before it, the y
changes into i.
Then we add ed.
In the following examples the consonant is in blue,
the part before ed
is in green,
and ed is
in red.
try
=>
tri + ed
=>
tried
cry
=>
cri + ed
=>
cried
study
=>
studi + ed
=>
studied
When a verb ends with y
and there is a vowelbefore it, we
simply add ed
to the verb.
In the following examples the vowel
is in orange, the part before ed is in green,
and ed is
in red.