Minimal Pairs

Minimal Pairs

Minimal pairs are pairs of words which differ in a single sound.They serve as a drill for practising sounds.

Minimal pairs involving consonant sounds:

/p/ /b/

pin-bin	pear-bear	pan-ban
pail-bail	nip-bib	tap-tab
mop-mob	lap-lab

/t/ /d/

tin-din	tear-dare	tall-doll
ten-den	bat-bad	seat-seed
let-led	tight-tide

/k/ /g/

key-ghee	cot-got	come-gum
kill-gill	luck-lug	lock-log
dock-dog	wick-wig

/f/ /v/

fan-van	fail-veil	fast-vast
file-vile	leaf-leave	life-live
safe-save	shelf-shelve

//v/ /w//

VOW-WOW	vet-wet	vile-while
viper-wiper

/θ/ /ð/

Teeth-teethe

/s/ /z/

sip-zip	sue-zoo	sink-zinc
seal-zeal	bus-buzz	price-prize
lace-laze	dose-doze

/s//ʃ/

sip-ship	so-show	same-shame
sin-shin	puss-push	sass-lash
mess-mesh	lease-leash

/ʧ//d3/

char-jar	choose-jews	choke-joke
etch-edge	batch-badge	Lunch-lunge

/z/ /ʃ/

zip-ship	zoo-shoe
was-wash	whiz-wish

Minimal pairs involving vowel sounds:

/I/ /i:/

sit-seat	bit-beat
lick-leak	fill-fel

/e/ /æ/

met-mat	led-lad
men-man	shell-shall

/ʊ//u:/

full-fool

pull-pool

soot-suit

/ɔ/ /ɔ:/

cot-caught

not-nought

tot-taught

/æ/ /a:/

pat-part

mat-mart

cat-cart

//ɪ//e/

pin-pen	bid-bed
bill-bell	chick-check

/æ/ /ɜ:/

Fan - fern

had-heard

bad-bird

jam-germ

/eɪ/ /aɪ/

fail-file	main-mine
lake-like	late-light

/eɪ/ /ɔɪ/

bail-boil

grain-groin

paint-point

ail-oil

/əʊ/ /aʊ/

whole-howl	Rose-rouse
thought-thou	load-loud

/ʊə/ /ɪə/

poor-pier	Tour-tier
sure-sheer	moor-mere