IELTS pronunciation · Word endings

Plural and past endings before a vowel (asked about, books on)

When plural -s/-es or past tense -ed endings are followed by a word starting with a vowel, the final consonant sound naturally connects to that vowel rather than stopping abruptly. Mastering this continuous linking improves your rhythm and prevents choppy delivery, helping you achieve Band 7 or higher in IELTS Pronunciation.
  • 12 practice lines
  • 7 minimal pairs
  • Word endings
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Technique

How to say it

  1. 1

    Identify regular plural nouns or past tense verbs that immediately precede words starting with a vowel sound.

  2. 2

    Pronounce the final consonant sound (/s/, /z/, /t/, /d/, or /ɪd/) as if it were the starting sound of the following word.

  3. 3

    Avoid inserting a glottal stop or brief pause between the grammatical ending and the subsequent vowel.

  4. 4

    Keep the vowel in the following word relaxed so the linked consonant glides smoothly into it.

7 pairs

Minimal pairs

Say each pair aloud. If the two words sound the same when you record yourself, slow down and go back to the steps above.

  • I ask about it (/ɑːsk‿ə/)/I asked about it (/ɑːskt‿ə/)
  • a book on art (/bʊk‿ɒn/)/some books on art (/bʊks‿ɒn/)
  • look at that (/lʊk‿æt/)/looked at that (/lʊkt‿æt/)
  • my friend in Leeds (/frend‿ɪn/)/my friends in Leeds (/frendz‿ɪn/)
  • talk about life (/tɔːk‿ə/)/talked about life (/tɔːkt‿ə/)
  • a place in town (/pleɪs‿ɪn/)/places in town (/pleɪsɪz‿ɪn/)
  • pass out flyers (/pɑːs‿aʊt/)/passed out flyers (/pɑːst‿aʊt/)

12 sentences

Practice lines from IELTS-style answers

  1. 1

    My parents asked about my career plans during the holiday.

    link: asked‿about /ɑːskt‿ə-/

  2. 2

    I borrowed several books on local history from our town library.

    link: books‿on /bʊks‿ɒn/

  3. 3

    We walked around the city centre to explore different flats.

    link: walked‿around /wɔːkt‿ə-/

  4. 4

    She noticed a massive difference after she organised all her files.

    links: noticed‿a /nəʊtɪst‿ə/, organised‿all /ɔːɡənaɪzd‿ɔːl/

  5. 5

    Most students opened envelopes with their final exam results yesterday morning.

    link: opened‿envelopes /əʊpənd‿en-/

  6. 6

    The examiner talked about environmental issues affecting modern coastal towns.

    links: talked‿about /tɔːkt‿ə-/, issues‿affecting /ɪʃuːz‿ə-/

  7. 7

    I visited eight historic places in Italy on my last holiday.

    link: places‿in /pleɪsɪz‿ɪn/

  8. 8

    He stopped in a local bakery and picked up some fresh bread.

    links: stopped‿in /stɒpt‿ɪn/, picked‿up /pɪkt‿ʌp/

  9. 9

    My colleagues suggested an earlier meeting to discuss new projects in detail.

    links: suggested‿an /səˈdʒestɪd‿ən/, projects‿in /prɒdʒekts‿ɪn/

  10. 10

    There are many reasons why people love living near parks and lakes.

    link: parks‿and /pɑːks‿ənd/

  11. 11

    I checked out of the hotel and looked around the museum.

    links: checked‿out /tʃekt‿aʊt/, looked‿around /lʊkt‿ə-/

  12. 12

    They discussed important changes in education policy during the workshop.

    links: discussed‿important /dɪsˈkʌst‿ɪm-/, changes‿in /tʃeɪndʒɪz‿ɪn/

Say it in a real answer

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Watch out

Common mistakes

  • →Inserting a glottal stop between the ending and the vowel, which makes connected speech sound staccato and disjointed.
  • →Dropping the final consonant altogether in consonant clusters, turning phrases like 'asked about' into 'ask about'.
  • →Incorrectly adding an extra /ɪd/ syllable on verbs that do not end in /t/ or /d/ sounds, such as pronouncing 'walked' as 'walk-id'.

In the exam: Linking past and plural endings smoothly into following vowels prevents hesitation, demonstrating the natural speech rhythm examiners expect at Band 7 and above.

Frequently asked questions

How much does pronunciation count in IELTS Speaking?+

A quarter of your Speaking band. Examiners judge how easy you are to understand and how well you use features like stress, rhythm and intonation, not whether you sound British or American.

Do I need a native accent for Band 8?+

No. An accent is fine at every band. What matters is that individual sounds are clear, stress falls on the right syllables and your intonation helps the listener follow you.

How should I practise these lines?+

Read each line slowly, then at natural speed, then record yourself and compare. Say the sentences in a real answer next, because examiners hear your pronunciation while you think, not while you read.

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