A minimal pair is a pair of words which differ only in one sound. They are a great way to help your students become more aware of their difficulties with pronunciation. For example, Spanish students often struggle with the minimal pairs "sheet" and "seat", or "cat" and "cut". They can really improve their pronunciation by practising these pairs.
Minimal pairs lists by nationality
Click on the links here for .pdf files with useful minimal pairs for particular nationalities.
Minimal pairs lists for common pronunciation difficulties
Below are examples of some common minimal pairs which can cause problems for students. For ways to use these with your students, see my minimal pairs activities page.
Vowel sounds
æ | ʌ |
cat |
cut |
ankle |
uncle |
ran |
run |
drank |
drunk |
match |
much |
ɪ | i: |
ship |
sheep |
it |
eat |
hit |
heat |
bin |
bean |
live |
leave |
ɜ: | ɔ: |
work |
walk |
bird |
bored |
fur |
for |
shirt |
short |
sir |
saw |
æ | eɪ |
hat |
hate |
mad |
made |
lack |
lake |
back |
bake |
cap |
cape |
æ | e |
bat |
bet |
dad |
dead |
pack |
peck |
sad |
said |
tan |
ten |
ɑ: | ɔ: |
far |
four |
tart |
taught |
part |
port |
farm |
form |
barn |
born |
Consonant sounds
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 |
ʃ | s |
ship |
sip |
she |
sea |
sure |
sore |
shoot |
suit |
shy |
sigh |
ʃ | tʃ |
shoes |
choose |
sheep |
cheap |
wash |
watch |
mash |
match |
cash |
catch |
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 |
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 |