Minimal Pairs
Two words that differ by exactly one sound — ship/sheep, think/sink, bed/bad. The oldest instrument in ear training. Browse a contrast, then train your ear.
Vowel contrasts (7)
Short, lax /ɪ/ (ship) vs long, tense /iː/ (sheep).
beam / bim
Short, lax /ʊ/ (full) vs long, tense /uː/ (fool).
could / cooed
Mid-front /ɛ/ (bed) vs open-front /æ/ (bad).
an / en
Front /æ/ (cat) vs open-back /ɑ/ (cot).
add / odd
Central /ʌ/ (cut) vs open-back /ɑ/ (cot).
ha / huh
Monophthong /ɛ/ (pen) vs diphthong /eɪ/ (pain).
rare / ray
Open-back /ɑ/ (cot) vs diphthong /oʊ/ (coat).
bow / ba
Consonant contrasts (12)
Voiceless TH /θ/ (thin) vs /t/ (tin).
thigh / tie
Voiceless TH /θ/ (think) vs /s/ (sink).
sigh / thigh
Voiceless TH /θ/ (three) vs /f/ (free).
deaf / death
Voiced TH /ð/ (they) vs /d/ (day).
day / they
Voiced TH /ð/ (then) vs /v/ (vet area).
vow / thou
Voiced TH /ð/ (breathe) vs /z/ (breeze).
scythe / size
Lateral /l/ (light) vs approximant /r/ (right).
rue / loo
Labiodental /v/ (vine) vs /w/ (wine).
vow / wow
Fricative /v/ (vat) vs plosive /b/ (bat).
be / v
Sibilant /s/ (sip) vs /ʃ/ (ship).
ash / ass
Affricate /tʃ/ (watch) vs fricative /ʃ/ (wash).
batch / bash
Affricate /tʃ/ (chip) vs sibilant /s/ (sip).
batch / bass