ÿþ<html> <head> <title>Minimal pairs</title> <meta name="description" content="Discrimination exercises in the recognition and production of English phonemes: short and long vowel sounds, diphthongs and consonant sounds."> <meta name="keywords" content="minimal pairs,English,pronunciation,phonology,phonemes,vowel,consonant,sounds,vowels,consonants,language,learning,teaching,efl,esl,elt"> </head> <body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <h1>Minimal pairs - INDEX</h1> <hr> <a href="#vowelsounds">Vowel Sounds</a> | <a href="#consonantsounds">Consonant Sounds</a><font color="#ffffff">----------</font><a href="phono.html">Pronunciation</a> [Common Mistakes]<font color="#ffffff">-------</font><a href="phonetics.htm">Phonology</a> | <a href="index.html">Home Page</a> | <hr> <p><b>Click on "Compare" for <u>word list</u> to practise any pair of English phonemes listed below:</b></p> <p><a name="vowelsounds">Vowel Sounds</a><font color="#ffffff">------------</font><a href="esl0104b.html">place & manner of articulation</a> EXPLAINED!<font color="#ffffff">------------</font><a href="#" onClick="history.go(-1)">BACK</a></p> <hr> <p><img src="ph01.gif"><font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0108.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph08.gif"></p> unrounded centralized half-close<font color="#ffffff">------</font> unrounded front close [long] <hr> <p><img src="ph01.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0102.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph02.gif"></p> unrounded centralized half-close<font color="#ffffff">------</font>unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close <hr> <p><img src="ph02.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0203.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph03.gif"></p> unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close <font color="#ffffff">------</font>unrounded front betw. open & half-open <hr> <p><img src="ph02.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0205.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph05.gif"></p> unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close <font color="#ffffff">------</font>unrounded centre of tongue just above open <hr> <p><img src="ph02.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0211.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph11.gif"></p> unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close <font color="#ffffff">------</font>unrounded central [long] <hr> <p><img src="ph02.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0213.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph13.gif"></p> unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close <font color="#ffffff">------</font>Closing diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & slightly backwards <hr> <p><img src="ph03.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0305.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph05.gif"></p> unrounded front betw. open & half-open<font color="#ffffff">------</font>unrounded centre of tongue just above open <hr> <p><img src="ph03.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0309.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph09.gif"></p> unrounded front betw. open & half-open<font color="#ffffff">------</font>unrounded tongue betw. centre & back open [long] <hr> <p><img src="ph04.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0410.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph10.gif"></p> rounded back open <font color="#ffffff">-------------------</font>rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long] <hr> <p><img src="ph05.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0511.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph11.gif"></p> unrounded centre of tongue just above open<font color="#ffffff">---------------</font>unrounded central [long] <hr> <p><img src="ph06.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0612.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph12.gif"></p> rounded centralized half-close<font color="#ffffff">-------------</font>closely rounded back just below close [long] <hr> <p><img src="ph07.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="discculdweak.html"><font color="#000080">Practise</font></a></p> unrounded central betw. half-open & half-close<font color="#ffffff">------</font> <hr> <p><img src="ph09.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0904.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph04.gif"></p> unrounded back open [long]<font color="#ffffff">------</font>rounded back open <hr> <p><img src="ph09.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal0910.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph10.gif"></p> unrounded tongue betw. centre & back open [long] <font color="#ffffff">------</font>rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long] <hr> <p><img src="ph10.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal1011.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph11.gif"></p> rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long]<font color="#ffffff">------</font>rounded central [long] <hr> <p><img src="ph10.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal1019.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph19.gif"></p> rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long]<font color="#ffffff">------</font>Closing diphthong, starts betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & back <hr> <p><font color="#ffffff">---------------------------</font><a href="esl0105.html"><b>DIPHTHONGS EXPLAINED</b></a> and <b>LISTS OF WORDS</b> <u>with common diphthongs</u> for <u>practice / reading aloud</u>:<br /><font color="#ffffff">---------------------------</font><a href="esl0105a.html">/e&#618;/</a> | <a href="esl0105b.html">/a&#618;/</a> | <a href="esl0105c.html">/&#596;&#618;/</a> = <b>Front Closing</b> - the front of tongue moves upwards <i>within</i> (or <i>towards</i> in the case of /&#596;&#618;/) the front of the mouth.<br /><font color="#ffffff">---------------------------</font> <a href="esl0105d.html">/&#618;&#601;/</a> | <a href="esl0105e.html">/e&#601;/ </a> | <a href="esl0105f.html">/&#650;&#601;/</a> = <b>Centring</b> - the tongue <i>starting from different positions in each case</i> moves to the neutral position at the centre of the mouth.<br /><font color="#ffffff">---------------------------</font><a href="esl0105g.html">/&#601;&#650;/</a> | <a href="esl0105h.html">/a&#650;/</a> = <b>Back Closing</b> - the back of the tongue moves upwards (<i>a long way upwards</i> in the case of /a&#650;/) towards the "centre to back" of the mouth.</p> <hr> <p><img src="ph13.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal1314.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph14.gif"></p> Closing diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & slightly backwards<font color="#ffffff">------</font>Closing diphthong, starts front betw. open & half-open, moves upwards towards /&#618;/ <hr> <p><img src="ph15.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal15diph.html"><font color="#000080">Practise</font></a></p> Closing diphthong starts betw. open & half-open moves upwards & forwards <hr> <p><img src="ph16.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal1617.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph17.gif"></p> Centring diphthong starts betw. half-close & close moves backwards & downwards<font color="#ffffff">-------------</font>Centring diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves backwards <hr> <p><img src="ph16.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal1618.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph18.gif"></p> Centring diphthong starts betw. half-close & close moves backwards & downwards<font color="#ffffff">-------------</font>Centring diphthong, starts just above half-close betw. centre & back <hr> <p><img src="ph17.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal1718.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph18.gif"></p> Centring diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves backwards<font color="#ffffff">-------------</font>Centring diphthong, starts just above half-close betw. centre & back <hr> <p><img src="ph19.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal1904.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph04.gif"></p> Closing diphthong, starts betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & back<font color="#ffffff">-------------</font>rounded back open <hr> <p><img src="ph19.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal1920.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph20.gif"></p> Closing diphthong, starts betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & back<font color="#ffffff">-------------</font>Closing diphthong, starts open betw. front & centre, moves up & slightly back <hr> <p><img src="ph20.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal202007.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">-----</font><img src="ph2007.gif"></p> Closing diphthong, starts open betw. front & centre, moves up & slightly back<font color="#ffffff">-------------</font>Triphthong, starts open betw. front & centre, moves up & slightly back, then slightly down to centralized vowel <hr> <p>The clearest guidance on <b>The English Sound System</b> and <b>how English Vowel Sounds are produced</b> is in <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0521530334/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thehistorofbr-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0521530334">The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language</a> (pages 236-241).</p> <hr> <p><a name="consonantsounds">Consonant Sounds</a><font color="#ffffff">---------------------------</font> <a href="#" onClick="history.go(-1)">BACK</a></p></p> <p><img src="ph21.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal2122.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph22.gif"></p> voiceless bilabial plosive<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced bilabial plosive <hr> <p><img src="ph23.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal2324.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph24.gif"></p> voiceless alveolar plosive<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced alveolar plosive <hr> <p><img src="ph25.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal2526.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph26.gif"></p> voiceless velar plosive<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced velar plosive <hr> <p><img src="ph27.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal2728.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph28.gif"></p> voiceless labio-dental fricative<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced labio-dental fricative <hr> <p><img src="ph29.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal2930.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph30.gif"></p> voiceless dental fricative<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced dental fricative <hr> <p><img src="ph29.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal2923.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph23.gif"></p> voiceless dental fricative<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiceless alveolar plosive <hr> <p><img src="ph29.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal2924.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph24.gif"></p> voiceless dental fricative<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced alveolar plosive <hr> <p><img src="ph29.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal2931.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph32.gif"></p> voiceless dental fricative<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiceless alveolar fricative <hr> <p><img src="ph30.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal3024.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph24.gif"></p> voiced dental fricative<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiceless alveolar fricative <hr> <p><img src="ph30.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal3032.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph32.gif"></p> voiced dental fricative<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced alveolar fricative <hr> <p><img src="ph31.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal3132.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph32.gif"></p> voiceless alveolar fricative<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced alveolar fricative <hr> <p><img src="ph34.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal3435.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph35.gif"></p> voiced alveolar nasal<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced velar nasal <hr> <p><img src="ph35.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal3599.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph99.gif"></p> voiced velar nasal<font color="#ffffff">------</font> (voiced) velar nasal followed by voiceless velar plosive <hr> <p><img src="ph36.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal3637.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph37.gif"></p> voiced alveolar lateral continuant<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced post-alveolar frictionless continuant <hr> <p><img src="ph38.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal3828.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph28.gif"></p> labio-velar semi-vowel<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced labio-dental fricative <hr> <p><img src="ph39.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal39silenth.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> SILENT "H"</p> voiceless glottal fricative <hr> <p><img src="ph41.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal4143.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph43.gif"></p> voiceless palato-alveolar fricative<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiceless palato-alveolar affricate <hr> <p><img src="ph41.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal4144.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph44.gif"></p> voiceless palato-alveolar fricative<font color="#ffffff">------</font> voiced palato-alveolar affricate <hr> <p><img src="ph43.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal4323.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph23.gif"></p> voiceless palato-alveolar affricate <font color="#ffffff">------</font>voiceless alveolar plosive <hr> <p><img src="ph43.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal4344.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph44.gif"></p> voiceless palato-alveolar affricate <font color="#ffffff">------</font>voiced palato-alveolar affricate <hr> <p><img src="ph44.gif"> <font color="#ffffff">------</font><a href="minimal4440.html"><font color="#000080">Compare</font></a><font color="#ffffff">------</font> <img src="ph40.gif"></p> voiced palato-alveolar affricate <font color="#ffffff">------</font>palatal unrounded semi-vowel <p>The clearest guidance on <b>how English consonant sounds are produced</b> is in <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0521530334/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thehistorofbr-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0521530334">The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language</a> (pages 242-245).<br />David Crystal's <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0521530334/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thehistorofbr-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0521530334">excellent encyclopedia</a> also explains many other things which learners & teachers of English frequently seek to know. I most highly recommend it.</p> <hr> <p><a href="#vowelsounds">Vowel Sounds</a> | <a href="#consonantsounds">Consonant Sounds</a><font color="#ffffff">----------</font> <a href="#" onClick="history.go(-1)">BACK</a></p> <hr> <p><a href="phono.html">Pronunciation</a> [Common Mistakes]<font color="#ffffff">-------</font><a href="phonetics.htm">Phonology</a> | <a href="index.html">Home Page</a></p> </body> </html>