Minimal pairs

A minimal pair consists of two words which differ in only one sound. Practising minimal pairs can help learners recognise and produce differences between English phonemes.

Choose a route below, or scroll down to compare pairs of vowel and consonant sounds.

Explore Consonant Sounds

Voicing, place and manner of articulation, and commonly confused consonants.

Practise by Listening

Work systematically through 42 interactive listening discrimination exercises.

Click on "Compare" for a word list to practise any pair of English phonemes listed below:

Vowel Sounds------------place & manner of articulation-----EXPLAINED!

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unrounded centralized half-close------ unrounded front close [long]

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unrounded centralized half-close------unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close

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unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close ------unrounded front betw. open & half-open

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unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close ------unrounded centre of tongue just above open

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unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close ------unrounded central [long]

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unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close ------Closing diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & slightly backwards

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unrounded front betw. open & half-open------unrounded centre of tongue just above open

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unrounded front betw. open & half-open------unrounded tongue betw. centre & back open [long]

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rounded back open -------------------rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long]

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unrounded centre of tongue just above open---------------unrounded central [long]

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rounded centralized half-close-------------closely rounded back just below close [long]

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unrounded central betw. half-open & half-close------

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unrounded back open [long]------rounded back open

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unrounded tongue betw. centre & back open [long] ------rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long]

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rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long]------rounded central [long]

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rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long]------Closing diphthong, starts betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & back

DIPHTHONGS EXPLAINED and LISTS OF WORDS with common diphthongs for practice / reading aloud:

/eɪ/ | /aɪ/ | /ɔɪ/ = Front Closing - the front of tongue moves upwards within (or towards in the case of /ɔɪ/) the front of the mouth.

/ɪə/ | /eə/ | /ʊə/ = Centring - the tongue starting from different positions in each case moves to the neutral position at the centre of the mouth.

/əʊ/ | /aʊ/ = Back Closing - the back of the tongue moves upwards (a long way upwards in the case of /aʊ/) towards the "centre to back" of the mouth.

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Closing diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & slightly backwards------Closing diphthong, starts front betw. open & half-open, moves upwards towards /ɪ/

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Closing diphthong starts betw. open & half-open moves upwards & forwards

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Centring diphthong starts betw. half-close & close moves backwards & downwards-------------Centring diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves backwards

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Centring diphthong starts betw. half-close & close moves backwards & downwards-------------Centring diphthong, starts just above half-close betw. centre & back

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Centring diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves backwards-------------Centring diphthong, starts just above half-close betw. centre & back

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Closing diphthong, starts betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & back-------------rounded back open

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Closing diphthong, starts betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & back-------------Closing diphthong, starts open betw. front & centre, moves up & slightly back

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Closing diphthong, starts open betw. front & centre, moves up & slightly back-------------Triphthong, starts open betw. front & centre, moves up & slightly back, then slightly down to centralized vowel

Consonant Sounds---------------Practise consonant clusters

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