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<title>Minimal pairs - vowel sounds in British English: "pair" and "poor"</title>
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        <a href="minimal.html">Minimal Pairs</a> |
        <a href="phono.html">L1 pronunciation problems</a> |
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    <h1>Minimal Pairs – <span class="phoneme">/e&#601;/</span> and <span class="phoneme">/&#650;&#601;/</span></h1>

    <p class="introduction">
        <span class="phoneme">/e&#601;/</span> as in <strong>"pair"</strong>
        &nbsp; · &nbsp;
        <span class="phoneme">/&#650;&#601;/</span> as in <strong>"poor"</strong>
    </p>

    <table class="exercise-table">
        <tr><td>pair</td><td>poor</td></tr>
        <tr><td>mare</td><td>more</td></tr>
        <tr><td>tear (<i>rip apart</i>)</td><td>tour</td></tr>
        <tr><td>spare</td><td>spoor</td></tr>
        <tr><td>dare</td><td>dour</td></tr>
        <tr><td>share</td><td>sure</td></tr>
        <tr><td>bear</td><td>boor</td></tr>
        <tr><td>lair</td><td>lure</td></tr>
        <tr><td>rare</td><td>Ruhr</td></tr>
        <tr><td>stair</td><td>Stour (<i>river in Essex/Kent/Suffolk</i>)</td></tr>
    </table>

    <p class="instruction">
        Read the words aloud, concentrating on the difference between the two vowel sounds.
    </p>

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        Minimal pairs practice – British English vowel contrast
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