Minimal pairs lists
A minimal pair is a pair of words which differ only in one sound. They are a great way to help students become more aware of their difficulties with pronunciation. For example, students often struggle with the pairs “sheet” and “seat”, or “cat” and “cut”. They can really improve their pronunciation by practising these pairs.
| [æ] | [ʌ] |
| cat | cut |
| ankle | uncle |
| ran | run |
| drank | drunk |
| match | much |
| [ɜ:] | [ɔ:] |
| work | walk |
| bird | bored |
| fur | for |
| shirt | short |
| sir | saw |
| [ʃ] | [s] |
| ship | sip |
| she | sea |
| sure | sore |
| shoot | suit |
| shy | sigh |
| [t] | [θ] |
| tin | thin |
| true | through |
| tree | three |
| taught | thought |
| boat | both |
| [r] | [l] |
| fry | fly |
| right | light |
| grammar | glamour |
| wrong | long |
| wrist | list |
| [v] | [b] |
| vote | boat |
| very | berry |
| van | ban |
| vest | best |
| vet | bet |
| [ɪ] | [i:] |
| ship | sheep |
| it | eat |
| hit | heat |
| bin | bean |
| live | leave |
| [æ] | [eɪ] |
| hat | hate |
| mad | made |
| lack | lake |
| back | bake |
| cap | cape |
| [s] | [z] |
| sip | zip |
| sue | zoo |
| place | plays |
| rice | rise |
| ice | eyes |
| [s] | [θ] |
| sin | thin |
| sum | thumb |
| sank | thank |
| sink | think |
| saw | thaw |
| [ŋk] | [ŋ] |
| think | thing |
| sank | sang |
| bank | bang |
| rink | ring |
| sunk | sung |
| [p] | [b] |
| pin | bin |
| pest | best |
| pig | big |
| pit | bit |
| poured | bored |
| [æ] | [e] |
| bat | bet |
| dad | dead |
| pack | peck |
| sad | said |
| tan | ten |
| [ɑ:] | [ɔ:] |
| far | four |
| tart | taught |
| part | port |
| farm | form |
| barn | born |
| [ʃ] | [tʃ] |
| shoes | choose |
| sheep | cheap |
| wash | watch |
| mash | match |
| cash | catch |
| [d] | [ð] |
| doze | those |
| day | they |
| dare | there |
| den | then |
| dough | though |
| [w] | [v] |
| wine | vine |
| west | vest |
| while | vile |
| wet | vet |
| wary | vary |
| [p] | [f] |
| poor | four |
| pair | fair |
| pine | fine |
| pill | fill |
| please | fleas |


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