Language Use:
ESL Guide to Minimal Pairs
What are minimal pairs?
Minimal pairs are two words that are only different in pronunciation by a single sound. This pronunciation difference can be difficult for English language learners. Minimal pairs are a great way to practice English pronunciation.
Voiced /th/ and /p/ minimal pairs
- then / pen
- these / peas
- those / pose
- they / pay
- than / pan
- that / pat
- their / pair
- thy / pie
Click to play 
Try this sentence with /th/ and /p/ sounds:
“Put those peas in these pots.”
Try this sentence with /th/ and /p/ sounds:
“I will have another bowl of that pumpkin soup please.”
/sh/ and /b/ minimal pairs
- sheep / beep
- show / bow
- shell / bell
- Josh / job
- shark / bark
- shirt / Bert
- shoe / boo
- shin / bin
- she / bee
Click to play 
Try this sentence with /sh/ and /b/ sounds:
“The blouse and shirt are in the bag with the sash.”
Try this sentence with /sh/ and /b/ sounds:
“Betty wishes she could show you her new buttons.”
/m/ and /n/ minimal pairs
- beam / beam
- am / an
- comb / cone
- term / turn
- dime / dine
- game / gain
- gum / gun
- clam / clan
- foam / phone
Try this sentence with /m/ and /n/ sounds:
“Neil came to watch Pam’s championship tennis match.”
Try this sentence with /m/ and /n/ sounds:
“The gold medal belongs to the tournament winner.”
/r/ and /p/ minimal pairs
/r/ and /p/ minimal pairs
- reach / peach
- rain / pain
- rink / pink
- rocket / pocket
- rail / pail
- rat / pat
- wreck / peck
- rest / pest
- roast / post
Try this sentence with /r/ and /p/ sounds:
“Rachel put the pot roast in the red pan.”
Try this sentence with /r/ and /p/ sounds:
“Please post the restaurant menu near the entrance.”
/t/ and /d/ minimal pairs
/t/ and /d/ minimal pairs
- ten / den
- tore / door
- tip / dip
- town / down
- tart / dart
- tie / die
- hat / had
- write / ride
- sent / send
Click to play 
Try this sentence with /t/ and /d/ sounds:
“The lightning and thunderstorm created a tornado.”
Try this sentence with /t/ and /d/ sounds:
“Diana must trim the dead branches during winter.”
/m/ and /t/ minimal pairs
/m/ and /t/ minimal pairs
- moo / too
- my / tie
- map / tap
- mop / top
- Mick / tick
- mail / tail
- most / toast
- mall / tall
- might / tight
Click to play 
Try this sentence with /m/ and /t/ sounds:
“Take the mail to the post office by the mall.”
Try this sentence with /m/ and /t/ sounds:
“Tim’s mother teaches at the museum downtown.”
/r/ and /l/ minimal pairs
/r/ and /l/ minimal pairs
- rake / lake
- right / light
- rock / lock
- road / load
- read / lead
- fry / fly
- berry / belly
- crown / clown
- grow / glow
Try this sentence with /r/ and /l/ sounds:
“Leo remembers locking his computer before leaving work.”
Try this sentence with /r/ and /l/ sounds:
“Lana received and email from Robert on her tablet.”
/s/ and /sh/ minimal pairs
/s/ and /sh/ minimal pairs
- see / she
- sew / show
- seat / sheet
- sour / shower
- sell / shell
- sip / ship
- sack / shack
- sign / shine
- sore / shore
Try this sentence with /s/ and /sh/ sounds:
“She’d like to sell the truck and save the cash.”
Try this sentence with /s/ and /sh/ sounds:
“A van crashed up the street so let’s find a shortcut.”
/n/ and /t/ minimal pairs
/n/ and /t/ minimal pairs
- night / tight
- nap / tap
- no / toe
- knot / tot
- nail / tail
- name / tame
- nose / toes
- nest / test
- nook / took
Try this sentence with /n/ and /t/ sounds:
“Nicole can touch her nose without bending her knees.”
Try this sentence with /n/ and /t/ sounds:
“Tanya sneezed twice when Nick touched her nose.”
/dʒ/ (j) and /tʃ/ (ch) minimal pairs
/dʒ/ (j) and /tʃ/ (ch) minimal pairs
- jug / chug
- jet / Chet
- gin / chin
- joke / choke
- jump / chump
- edge / etch
- lunge / lunch
- ridge / rich
- surge / search
Click to play 
Try this sentence with /dʒ/ and /tʃ/ sounds:
“Charles just came from the emergency room in a wheelchair.”
Try this sentence with /dʒ/ and /tʃ/ sounds:
“Jim’s child has a knee injury from jumping off the couch.”
/b/ and /v/ minimal pairs
/b/ and /v/ minimal pairs
- ban / van
- bale / veil
- best / vest
- bat / vat
- bet / vet
- berry / very
- boat / vote
- bent / vent
- curb / curve
Try this sentence with /b/ and /v/ sounds:
“Vicky went on a vacation to the Bahamas.”
Try this sentence with /b/ and /v/ sounds:
“Ben and Val bought souvenirs at the art exhibit in Venice.”
/t/ and /p/ minimal pairs
/t/ and /p/ minimal pairs
- tie / pie
- tall / Paul
- teal / peel
- ten / pen
- tail / pale
- tea / pea
- tin /pin
- teach / peach
- tan / pan
Try this sentence with /t/ and /p/ sounds:
“Tom gave the pen to his teacher Mr. Paul.”
Try this sentence with /t/ and /p/ sounds:
“Polly tapped on the map with the protractor.”
/r/ and /b/ minimal pairs
/r/ and /b/ minimal pairs
- row / bow
- red /bed
- rug / bug
- rack / back
- run / bun
- rag /bag
- right / bite
- reach / beach
- rail / bail
Try this sentence with /r/ and /b/ sounds:
“Barry used a blue screwdriver to build the rack.”
Try this sentence with /r/ and /b/ sounds:
“Use a razor blade to break down the brown boxes.”
/d/ and /b/ minimal pairs
/d/ and /b/ minimal pairs
- die / buy
- do / boo
- duck / buck
- den / Ben
- day / bay
- date / bait
- dark / bark
- dust / bust
- dug / bug
Click to play 
Try this sentence with /d/ and /b/ sounds:
“The dogs bark down by the bay at dusk.”
Try this sentence with /d/ and /b/ sounds:
“During winter bears hibernate in their dens.”
/y/ and /dʒ/ minimal pairs
/y/ and /dʒ/ minimal pairs
- yam / jam
- yet / jet
- Yale / jail
- mayor / major
- yell / gel
- mayor / major
- yellow / jello
- yacht / jot
- yak / Jack
Try this sentence with /y/ and / dʒ/ sounds:
“I am a junior at Yale College. I finish my major next year.”
Try this sentence with /y/ and / dʒ/ sounds:
“I suggest you learn a second language at a young age.”
/p/ and /f/ minimal pairs
/p/ and /f/ minimal pairs
- pan / fan
- pin / fin
- paint / faint
- pig / fig
- pine / fine
- peel / feel
- pat / fat
- pair / fair
- pile / file
Try this sentence with /p/ and / f/ sounds:
“Peter and Frank play football on Fridays.”
Try this sentence with /p/ and / f/ sounds:
“The golfer played poorly on the fifth hole.”
/sh/ and /ch/ minimal pairs
/sh/ and /ch/ minimal pairs
- shoes / choose
- shop / chop
- share / chair
- sheep / cheap
- shoe / chew
- ship / chip
- mush / much
- leash / leach
- wash / watch
Try this sentence with /sh/ and /ch/ sounds:
“Shannon chose the television show that we watched.”
Try this sentence with /sh/ and /ch/ sounds:
“Shane is in the kitchen sitting in a chair finishing his lunch.”
/k/ and /g/ minimal pairs
/k/ and /g/ minimal pairs
- back / bag
- pick / pig
- clock / clog
- dock / dog
- pick / pig
- lock / log
- rack / rag
- sack / sag
- pluck / plug
Try this sentence with /k/ and /g/ sounds:
“Put the grocery sack on the rug by the back door.”
Try this sentence with /k/ and /g/ sounds:
“The dirty glasses and forks go in the sink.”
/f/ and /v/ minimal pairs
/f/ and /v/ minimal pairs
- fan / van
- fine / vine
- fail / veil
- fear / veer
- half / have
- proof / prove
- fender / vendor
- strife / strive
- surf / serve
Try this sentence with /f/ and /v/ sounds:
“Vanessa found the cutest souvenirs for the kids.”
Try this sentence with /f/ and /v/ sounds:
“Fiona gave her keys to the valet in front of the elevator.”
/i:/ and /I/ minimal pairs
/i:/ and /I/ minimal pairs
- sheep / ship
- feet / fit
- cheap / chip
- leek / lick
- eat / it
- heat / hit
- bean /bin
- leave / live
Try this sentence with /i:/ and /I/ sounds:
“Most people have milk with their tea in England.”
Try this sentence with /i:/ and /I/ sounds:
“We grilled chicken for dinner and had coffee with dessert.”
/g/ and /w/ minimal pairs
/G:/ and /W/ minimal pairs
- gave / wave
- get / wet
- good / would
- guessed / west
- guide / wide
- girl / whirl
- guys wise
- gawk / walk
Try this sentence with /g/ and /w/ sounds:
“We didn’t win the gold medal in water polo, but we gave it our best.”
Try this sentence with /g/ and /w/ sounds:
“Glenn guessed that the gale winds would come from the west.”
