Minimal Pairs

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

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