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2.2.- Minimal Pairs (II).

Hombre señalando el fonema 'w' de color azul sobre fondo rojo.

Do you remember the meaning of minimal pairs? In Unit 5 we studied pairs of words with only one phonological element different between them, for example:

  • Shell /ʃel/ Sell /sel/

As you can see from the example, these two words have only one consonant which makes their pronunciation different. In this unit we are going to concentrate on those words with one vowel which makes their pronunciation different.

  • Hat /hæt/ Hut /hʌt/
  • Minimal pair /iː/- /ɪ/
    Minimal pairs /iː/- /ɪ/
    First word in the minimal pair Pronunciation for the first word Second word in the minimal pair Pronunciation for the second word
    Sheep. /ʃiːp/. Ship. /ʃɪp/.
    Heat. /hiːt/. Hit. /hɪt/.
    Eel. /iːl/. Ill. /ɪl/.
    Leave. /liːv/. Live. /lɪv/.

    When you pronounce the long vowel /iː/ your lips are spread and your tongue is tense with the sides touching the upper molars. The vowel /ɪ/ is shorter and the lips are only loosely spread.

You should know

To listen to the difference in pronunciation between the phonemes /iː/- /ɪ/ click on the link below:

Minimal pairs /iː/- /ɪ/.

  • Minimal pair /æ/ - /ʌ/
    Minimal pair /æ/ - /ʌ/
    First word in the minimal pair Pronunciation for the first word Second word in the minimal pair Pronunciation for the second word
    Hat. /hæt/. Hut. /hʌt/.
    Cat. /Kæt/. Cut. /Kʌt/.
    Ankle. /æŋkl/. Uncle. /ʌŋkl/.

    To pronounce the vowel /æ/ your lips are neutrally open and wider than to pronounce the vowel /e/. It is a sound in between /a/ and /e/. To pronounce the sound /ʌ/ open your jaws a bit more than to pronounce the sound /æ/.

A step ahead

For more minimal pairs /æ/ - /ʌ/ click on the link below:

Minimal pairs /æ/ - /ʌ /.
  • Minimal pair /e/-/æ/
    Minimal pair /e/-/æ/
    First word in the minimal pair Pronunciation for the first word Second word in the minimal pair Pronunciation for the second word
    Bet. /bet/. Bat. /bæt/.
    Head. /hed/. Had. /hæd/.
    Pedal. /pedәl/. Paddle. /pædәl/.
    Shell. /ʃel/. Shall. /ʃæl/.

You should know

To listen to the difference in pronunciation between the phonemes /e/-/æ/ click on the link below:

Minimal pairs /e/-/æ/.

  • Minimal pair /æ/ - /ɑː/
    Minimal pair /æ/ - /ɑː/
    First word in the minimal pair Pronunciation for the first word Second word in the minimal pair Pronunciation for the second word
    Cat. /kæt/. Cart. /Kɑːt/.
    Hat. /hæt/. Heart. /hɑːt/.
    Had. /hæd/. Hard. /hɑːd/.
    Chat. /tʃæt/. Chart. /tʃɑːt/.

    The main difference between these two sounds is that to pronounce /ɑː/your jaws must be far apart.

You should know

To listen to the difference in pronunciation between the phonemes /æ/- /ɑː/ click on the link below:

Minimal pairs /æ/- /ɑː/.

Ejercicio Resuelto

Click to read the Spanish translation: