Minimal Pairs

Definition

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/

beach bitch heat hit peach pitch eat it seat sit bead bid beet bit heed hid deed did feet fit reach rich green grin peel pill seater sitter

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

How to Pronounce The /ɪ/ sound Correctly How to Pronounce The / iː / Sound Correctly

Vowels: Minimal Pairs /æ/ and /e/

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

bag beg bat bet fast fest man men mantle mental

How to Pronounce The /æ/ Sound Correctly How to Pronounce The /e/ Sound Correctly

Vowels: Minimal Pairs /e/ and /eɪ/

Fell Fell Get Gate Let Late Fell Fail Sell Sale Tech Take Well Whale West Waist

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

How to Pronounce The /e/ Sound Correctly How to Pronounce The /eɪ/ Sound Correctly

Vowels: Minimal Pairs /æ/ and /ʌ/

Bat But Cap Cup Cat Cut Match Much Ran Run Sang Sung Bag Bug Crash Crush Hang Hung Mad Mud

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

How to Pronounce The /æ/ Sound Correctly How to Pronounce The /ʌ/ Sound Correctly

Vowels: Minimal Pairs /e/ and /ɪ/

bed bid Left Lift Mess Miss beg big bell bill Belt Built Bet Bit Bless Bliss Check Chick Dead Did Fell Fill Desk Disk Gem Gym Head Hid

Vowels: Minimal Pairs /u:/ and /ɔ:/

boot bought cool call drew draw flew flaw fool fall

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

How to Pronounce The /ɔ:/ Sound Corrrectly How to Pronounce The /u:/ Sound Correctly

Vowels and Diphthongs: /ɪ/ and /aɪ/

be buy cream crime delete delight feel file feet fight free fry freeze fries he high meal mile mean mine



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