Minimal Pairs

Ken Bleile
Initial[]

third heard
thick sick
pin thin
thick lick
thong song
rink think
nerd third
thumb gum
wink think
wonder thunder
thorn torn
pie thigh
chief thief
sink think
chin thin
thick pick
long thong
third bird
tick thick
thigh bye
corn thorn
thigh tie
pink think
wick thick
thorn worn
thief beef
high thigh
horn thorn
third word
kick thick
leaf thief

[]
Final

teeth tea
baa bath
patch path
bath badge
bad bath
mat math
path pan
math map
back bath
math mad
tent tenth
match math
path pass
two tooth
path pat
bath bat
man math
pack path

[]
Initial
that sat
that rat
that cat
that mat
that bat
that flat
this miss

this kiss
this hiss
them m
then men
then Ken
then n
then den
then Ben
these sees
these keys
these sneeze
these breeze
these sneeze

[z]

[r]

[r]

Initial

hold rolled

rug hug

zoo new

sat rat

gun run

lip zip

pay ray

four roar

zoom boom

rat pat

kite write

key z

raced paste

lip rip

boo zoo

rip chip

core roar

zip sip

wink rink

write bite

z pea

mug rug

write white

shoe zoo

jug rug

mane rain

whip zip

veil rail

vein rain

hero zero

roar door

rope soap

zoo moo

rail sail

fight write

chip zip

hay ray

taste raced

z knee

poor roar

row toe

zip rip

ray day

socks rocks

two zoo

dip rip

row mow

hip zip

rolled cold

sip rip

sea z

rug hug

gold rolled

goo zoo

toast roast

jacket racket

room zoom

sink rink

tail rail

ship zip

hat rat

write night

zoo chew

chased raced

go row

bee z

rocks box

run sun

Final

no row

ring sing

chains change

fox rocks

rink pink

beep bees

rail jail

run fun

toad toes

red bed

lock rock

cheese cheek

room zoom

bun run

bean bees

rail nail

sew row

rose road

weigh ray

rip ship

beak bees

rail mail

zip rip

bows bone

row bow

whale rail

bees beet

head red

rip whip

rope rose

teach reach

run one

bees bead

lace race

mug rug

chief cheese

beach reach

think rink

beef bees

bug rug

rat cat

boat bows

rose nose

hip rip

bees beach

toes rose
rat mat
dust rust
face race
fat rat
neigh ray
rolled mold
pail rail
dead red
race chase
boom room
bows rose
bat rat
king ring
rug bug
wing ring
mice rice
rock sock
rolled fold

knock rock
light write

[l]
Initial
log dog
leather feather
tick lick
pog log
lock rock
lake back
lick sick
look book
wick lick
cook look
lick pick
hook look
lip zip
cake lake
rip lip
kick lick
lip dip
light night
lip sip
Sam lamb
knock lock
chip lip
sock lock
thick lick
ham lamb

lip ship
lamp camp
whip lip
fight light
hip lip
write light
thong long
light white
line shine
light bite
yawn lawn
kite light
line nine
heap leap
vine line
leap deep
sign line
leap cheep
long song
late wait
lawn dawn
jeep leap
half laugh
sheep leap
limb him
laugh calf
keep leap
lamb jam
leap peep

thief leaf
wife life

[t]
Initial
taste chased
chase face
chin pin
chase lace
thin chin
raced chased
cheese peas
chip ship
race chase
hip chip
catch can
patch pack
beach bees
leave leech
knees cheese
cheer near
chip sip
keys cheese
jeep cheep
chip zip
leap cheep
chased waist
dip chip
chased paste
yolk choke

lip chip
cheer deer
chunk junk
chop shop
chip whip
soak choke
chop top
chew shoe
rip chip
chew moo
year cheer
chop cop
goo chew
chief thief
six chicks
pop chop
chest pest
hop chop
two chew
nest chest
beef chief
chest west
mop chop
cherry fairy
chicks mix
hairy cherry
test chest
chew boo
cherry berry

talk chalk
zoo chew
chalk hawk

[t]
Initial
taste chased
chase face
chin pin
chase lace
thin chin
raced chased
cheese peas
chip ship
race chase
hip chip
catch can
patch pack
beach bees

leave leech
knees cheese
cheer near
chip sip
keys cheese
jeep cheep
chip zip
leap cheep
chased waist
dip chip
chased paste
yolk choke
lip chip
cheer deer
chunk junk
chop shop
chip whip
soak choke
chop top
chew shoe
rip chip
chew moo
year cheer
chop cop
goo chew
chief thief
six chicks
pop chop
chest pest

hop chop
two chew
nest chest
beef chief
chest west
mop chop
cherry fairy
chicks mix
hairy cherry
test chest
chew boo
cherry berry
talk chalk
zoo chew
chalk hawk

[s]

[s]

[s]

Initial

Initial

Final

no sew

Sam lamb

pat pass

six mix

sip zip

pass pack

sat fat

pick sick

mouse mouth

rip sip

shine sign

patch pass

sink think

row sew

pass path

nail sail

sun bun

mice mine

cat sat

wheel seal

pan pass

sunny funny

Sam jam

mine mice

socks fox

ring sing

toss taught

tanned sand

kick sick

moose moo

soap rope

sea key

lice light

sail veil

line sign

knee sea

yolk soak

sat mat

sew hoe

gun sun

sandal handle

toe sew

thong song

soak poke

sip lip

sail jail

honey sunny

socks box

row sew

pat sat

sick thick

sail tail

long song

sew mow

hip sip

sip whip

choke soak

hand sand

mail sail

go sew

sew toe

sun fun

sand band

sad mad

bunny sunny

ham Sam

sip dip

sat rat

wing sing

run sun

bow sew

pail sail

ship sip

sick tick

sandal candle

dad sad

vine sign

rocks socks

soak joke

sick lick

sink rink

one sun
pink sink
sea pea
sing king
wick sick
rail sail
sea bee
sad bad
chicks six
sign nine
deal seal
sat bat
woke soak
seal meal
sew bow
whale sail
wink sink

[l]
Initial
chase lace
life knife

lace race
limb gym
leaf chief
lace face

Final
hall hawk
rope roll
wash wall
rail rake
talk tall
bows bowl
watch wall
rain rail
tall top
rose roll
bowl bone
wall watch
roll road
boat bowl
sunny money
seal peel
sand fanned
hat sat
go sew

Stops vs. Affricates

SIWI
tear - chair
tease - cheese
tin - chin

top - chop
talk - chalk
ticks - chicks
tiled - child
tip - chip
tips - chips
tore - chore
two - chew
PICTURES: here

Fricatives vs.
Affricates
SIWI
sore - chore
sum - chum
sip - chip
sick - chick
sat - chat
Sue - chew
silly - chilly
soak - choke
suck - chuck
sill - chill
search - church
Stops vs. Fricatives
and Affricates SFWF
rat - rash
out - ouch
write - rice
cat - catch
late - lace
hut - hush
mat - match
road - rose
head - hedge
hit - hiss
coat - coach
PICTURES: here Voiced
vs. Voiceless Alveolar
Stops SIWI /d/vs. /t/
deer tear
die tie
din tin
doll toll
door tore
doze toes
dent tent
dead Ted
dim Tim
PICTURES: here

Voiced vs.
Voiceless Affricates
SIWI
jeer cheer
joke choke
jeep cheap
Jane chain
jaw chore
jump chump
jest chest
gin chin
Jess chess Voiceless
Velars
vs. Alveolars SIWI: /k/
vs /t/
car tar
core tore
cape tape
cub tub
cool tool
cap tap
key tea
call tall
corn torn
PICTURES: here

Voiceled Velars
vs. Alveolars SIWI: /g/
vs /d/
gaze daze (days)
gig dig
go doe (dough)
game dame
gust dust
gum dumb
gash dash
grip drip
grab drab
groan drone
gate date
got dot
Guy die (dye)
guide died
PICTURES: here Fricative
Contrasts (triplets)
sort fort short
sore four shore
sign fine shine

sell fell shell

seat feet sheet
PICTURES: here

Final Consonant
Inclusion
tea team
tie tide
hoe hope
play plane
car calf
pea peep
shoe shoot
low load
PICTURES: here Final
Consonant Inclusion
high hide
see seat
shoe shoot
she sheep
cow couch
sore sort
sea seed
say save
PICTURES: here
Final
Consonant Inclusion
buy bike
sew soap
ow! out
bee beach
pie pile
row road
moo move
car card
PICTURES: here

Initial Glottal
Inclusion: /h/
"A" hay
"E" he
"I" high
"O" hoe

("U" who - yoo-hoo)

eye high
air hair
old hold
eel heel
art heart
edge hedge
PICTURES: here Initial
Fricative Inclusion: /f/
arm farm
eel feel
in fin
air fair
oar four
ace face
eat feet
ill fill
oh foe
ox fox
ale fail
PICTURES: here
Initial
Velar Inclusion: /k/
"R" car
art cart
ache cake
oar core
ape cape
air care
old cold
aim came
ill kill
arm calm
off cough
PICTURES: here Init
Consonant Inclusion
'sh'
shower hour
share air
shy eye
shake ache
shape ape
shawl all
shell "L
shout out
PICTURES: here

Initial Consonant
Inclusion /s/

seal eel
sell "L"
seat eat
sad add
soak oak
sold old
saw oar
soil oil
sour hour
Initial
Alveolar Inclusion
/t/
in tin
eye tie
ache take
aim tame
air tear
ape tape
old told
art tart
PICTURES: here

PICTURES: here

Initial Consonant
Inclusion
us bus
ape tape
out shout
eye pie
eel peel
air chair
ache take
old fold
PICTURES: here Glottal
Fric vs. Alveolar
Stop SIWI /h/ vs. /t/
hop top
hall tall
horn torn
high tie
hose toes
hair tear
hen ten
hot tot
PICTURES: here

Glottal vs. Labio-dental

Fricative SIWI: /h/ vs. /f/
hat fat
hit fit
hold fold
hive five

hall fall
horse force
hall fall
heel feel
hole foal
hairy fairy
PICTURES: here

Glottal vs. Palatoalveolar Fricative SIWI

hall shawl
head shed
horn Sean
horn Shawn
harp sharp
hop shop
hook shook
high shy
hut shut
heap sheep
hoe show
hair share
heat sheet
hip ship
PICTURES: here

Glottal vs. alveolar

Fricative SIWI: /h/ vs /s/
sauce horse
soup hoop
sold hold
side hide
sit hit
sand hand
suit hoot
sole hole
soap hope
seat heat
sip hip
seal heel
PICTURES: here Liquid
vs. Fricative SIWI
/l/ vs /s/
line sign
low sew
lock sock
long song
lick sick

lip sip
lend send
lift sift
lead seed
look sook

Liquids vs. Glides

SIWI
/r/ vs. /w/
one run
wig rig
wing ring
wok rock
whale rail
wake rake
weed read
witch rich
wave rave
west rest
PICTURES: here

Fricatives vs. Glides

SIWI
/f/ vs. /w/
feel wheel
fig wig
fight white
fork walk
fall wall
fish wish
feel wheel
full wool
fail whale
fade wade
Fricatives
vs. Glides SIWI
/v/ vs. /w/
vest west
veil whale
vine wine
vet wet
volley Wally
veal wheel
Vic wick
Palato-alveolar
Fricative vs. Affricates
SFWF
mash match
dish ditch

wish witch
wash watch
cash catch
hush hutch
crush crutch
marsh march
PICTURES: here

Palato-alveolar
Fricative vs. Affricates
SIWI
shops chops
shoes choose
ships chips
share chair
Shane chain
shin chin
sheep cheep
shock chock
PICTURES: here Liquids
vs. Alveolars SIWI:
/l/ vs. /d/
lots dots
log dog
lazy daisy
leap deep
love dove

Nasals vs. Liquids

SIWI
/n/ vs. /l/
knead lead
nip lip
night light
name lame
knock lock
neigh lay
no low
nine line
knot lot
nap lap
PICTURES: here Labiodental Fricatives vs.
Stops SIWI: /f/ vs /d/
file dial
fish dish
fan Dan

four door
five dive
foam dome
fig dig

Alveolar vs. Palatoalveolar Fricatives SIWI

suit shoot
sock shock
sore shore
sip ship
sack shack
sour shower
seat sheet
Sue shoe
PICTURES: here

Alveolar vs. Labiodental Fricatives

SIWI: /s/ vs. /f/
sold fold
sauce force
sort fort
six fix
sit fit
sole foal
cell fell
sole foal
sore four
PICTURES: here

Alveolar vs. Labiodental Fricatives

SIWI: /s/ vs. /f/
sun fun
seed feed
sound found
seat feet
seal feel
socks fox
saw four
sunny funny
sat fat
sign fine
PICTURES: here /n/ vs.
'sh' SIWI
gnaw shore
knee she
nip ship

nine shine
neat sheet
nut shut
no show
knock shock

/w/ vs. /l/ SIWI

wok lock
wine line
weed lead
white light
week leek
weigh lay
wet let
wick lick
PICTURES: here

/w/ vs. /l/ SIWI

why lie
wake lake
wait late
weep leap
wink link
Wally lolly
PICTURES: here

Alveolar vs. Palatoalveolar Fricatives SIWI

sign shine
sew show
sip ship
saw shore
sock shock
PICTURES: here

/n/ vs. /s/

SIWI
gnaw saw
nine sign
nails sails
kneel seal
neat seat
nip sip
knock sock
no sew
/n/ vs. 'ng'

SFWF
Ron wrong
pin Ping
win wing
thin thin
'th' vs. /f/ SIWI
thin fin
thaw four
thought fort
thread Fred
thorn fawn
three free
thirst first
/v/ vs. /b/
SIWI
vase bars
vest best
vat bat
V B (Vee-Bee)
vote boat
van ban
vow bow
very berry
/l/ vs. /j/ SIWI
lawn yawn
Lou you
lap yap
less yes
lucky yucky
luck yuck
PICTURES: here