ThomITeacher

If the minimal pairs sound the same is is probably because these two sounds in English are one sound in your native language. Try to make them more exaggerated - the /i:/ should be very wide and long, the /ɪ/ should be slightly more relaxed and very short!

Minimal pairs

/ɔ:/ and /əʊ/

/ɔ:/ - /əʊ/

caught - coat

nought - note

ball - bowl

bought - boat

jaw - Joe

Listen below!

/ɔ:/ and /əʊ/

Minimal pairs

/ɪə/ and /eə/

/ɪə/ - /eə/

ear - air

pier - pear

beer - bear

hear - hair

tear - tear

Cheers! - chairs

Listen below!

/ɪə/ and /eə/

Minimal pairs

/ɛ:/ and /ʌ/

/ɛ:/ - /ʌ/

shirt - shut

girl - gull

fern - fun

burn - bun

bird - bud

Listen below!

/ɛ:/ and /ʌ/

Minimal pairs

/ɛ:/ and /ɑ:/

/ɛ:/ - /ɑ:/

firm - farm

hurt - heart

stir - star

first - fast (UK RP)

purse - pass (UK RP)

burn - barn

Listen below!

/ɛ:/ and /ɑ:/

Minimal pairs

/æ/ and /ʌ/

/ æ / - / ʌ /

cap - cup

hat - hut

track - truck

ban - bun

bag - bug

ankle - unkle

Listen below!

/æ/ and / ʌ /

Minimal pairs

/e/ and /eɪ/

/e/ - /eɪ/

pen - pain

shed - shade

edge - age

wet - wait

test - taste

pepper - paper

Listen below!

/e/ and / eɪ /

Minimal pairs

/ʌ/ and /ɒ/

/ ʌ / - / ɒ /

shut - shot

gut - got

cut - cot

bum - bomb

stuck - stock

suck - sock

Listen below!

/ʌ/ and /ɒ/

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