How many sounds does the suffix '-ed' have, according to structured language rules?

The suffix '-ed' can represent three distinct sounds depending on the phonetic context of the base word to which it is attached. In structured language education, it is important to note how '-ed' is pronounced in relation to the final sound of the word it modifies.

1. When the base word ends in a voiceless consonant sound, such as “walk”, the suffix is pronounced as /t/ (e.g., "walked" pronounced /wɔːkt/).

2. When the base word ends in a voiced consonant sound or a vowel sound, such as “bake”, the suffix is pronounced as /d/ (e.g., "baked" pronounced /beɪkt/).

3. Finally, when the base word ends in /t/ or /d/, such as “want” or “add”, the suffix is pronounced as /ɪd/ (e.g., "wanted" pronounced /ˈwɒntɪd/).

This system illustrates the concept of assimilation and the phonetic rules governing how '-ed' splits into different sounds. Understanding this concept is essential for proper pronunciation and linguistic analysis in MSLE contexts.