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Minimal Pairs List: Vowels Sounds

Published on November 22, 2020 | Updated on June 19, 2024

Today we are going to learn some more about what minimal pairs are and how to discriminate one sound in English from another.

Pair of words, as pin and bin, or bet and bed, differing only by one sound in the same position in each word, especially when such a pair is taken as evidence for the existence of a phonemic contrast between the two sounds.

These are some examples of minimal pairs,if you need to check the phonetic transcription or how a word is pronounced. 

Visit the Cambridge Online Dictionary for more information



Vowels: Minimal Pairs  /iː/ and /ɪ/

beachbitch
heathit
peachpitch
eatit
seatsit
beadbid
beetbit
heedhid
deeddid
feetfit
reachrich
greengrin
peelpill
seatersitter

Vowels: Minimal Pairs /æ/ and /e/

For more information about these two sounds in English, please check these two posts:

bagbeg
batbet
fastfest
manmen
mantlemental

Vowels: Minimal Pairs /e/ and /eɪ/

FellFell
GetGate
LetLate
FellFail
SellSale
TechTake
WellWhale
WestWaist

For more information about these two sounds in English, please check these two posts:


Vowels: Minimal Pairs /æ/ and /ʌ/

BatBut
CapCup
CatCut
Match Much
RanRun
SangSung
BagBug
CrashCrush
HangHung
MadMud

Vowels: Minimal Pairs /e/ and /ɪ/

bedbid
LeftLift
MessMiss
begbig
bellbill
BeltBuilt
BetBit
BlessBliss
CheckChick
DeadDid
FellFill
DeskDisk
GemGym
HeadHid

Vowels: Minimal Pairs  /u:/ and /ɔ:/

bootbought
coolcall
drewdraw
flewflaw
foolfall

Vowels and Diphthongs: /ɪ/ and /aɪ/

bebuy
creamcrime
deletedelight
feelfile
feetfight
freefry
freezefries
hehigh
mealmile
meanmine

Manuel Campos

Manuel Campos

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English