Minimal Pairs – Pronunciation Practice

Practise these sounds with me!

How good is your pronunciation? In this little pronunciation workshop you can test yourself and practice pronouncing minimal pairs.
What is a minimal pair? A minimal pair is two words that have one sound which is different. For example, ship and sheep, or fun and fan.

Sounds and words in this video:

Vowels

1. /ʌ/ and /æ/

– but, bat
– cup, cap
– run, ran
– bunk, bank

2. /æ/ and /e/

– man, men
– sad, said
– and, end
– pat, pet

3. /e/ and /ɪ/

– set, sit
– jest, gist
– pen, pin
– desk, disk

4. /ɪ/ and /i:/

– ship, sheep
– did, deed
– grin, green
– is, ease

5. /e/ and /ei/

– sell, sail
– get, gate
– let, late
– bread, braid

6. /æ/ and /ei/

– rat, rate
– man, main
– lack, lake
– clam, claim


Consonants

7. /b/ and /p/

– big, pig
– base, pace
– cab, cap
– mob, mop

8. /v/ and /b/

– van, ban
– very, berry
– vowel, bowel
– dove, dub

9. /v/ and /f/

– van, fan
– vine, fine
– leave, leaf
– save, safe

10. /v/ and /w/

– vest, west,
– vain, wane
– veil, whale
– vine, wine

11. /f/ and /p/

– foot, put
– flan, plan
– cuff, cup
– leaf, leap