Minimal pairs - INDEX
Vowel Sounds | Consonant Sounds----------
Click on "Compare" for word list to practise any pair of English phonemes listed below:
Vowel Sounds------------place & manner of articulation EXPLAINED!
------Compare------ ![](ph08.gif)
unrounded centralized half-close------ unrounded front close [long]
------Compare------ ![](ph02.gif)
unrounded centralized half-close------unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close
------Compare------ ![](ph03.gif)
unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close ------unrounded front betw. open & half-open
------Compare------ ![](ph05.gif)
unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close ------unrounded centre of tongue just above open
------Compare------ ![](ph11.gif)
unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close ------unrounded central [long]
------Compare------ ![](ph13.gif)
unrounded front betw. half-open & half-close ------Closing diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & slightly backwards
------Compare------ ![](ph05.gif)
unrounded front betw. open & half-open------unrounded centre of tongue just above open
------Compare------ ![](ph09.gif)
unrounded front betw. open & half-open------unrounded tongue betw. centre & back open [long]
------Compare------ ![](ph10.gif)
rounded back open -------------------rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long]
------Compare------ ![](ph11.gif)
unrounded centre of tongue just above open---------------unrounded central [long]
------Compare------ ![](ph12.gif)
rounded centralized half-close-------------closely rounded back just below close [long]
------Practise
unrounded central betw. half-open & half-close------
------Compare------ ![](ph04.gif)
unrounded back open [long]------rounded back open
------Compare------ ![](ph10.gif)
unrounded tongue betw. centre & back open [long] ------rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long]
------Compare------ ![](ph11.gif)
rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long]------rounded central [long]
------Compare------ ![](ph19.gif)
rounded back betw. half-open & half-close [long]------Closing diphthong, starts betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & back
---------------------------DIPHTHONGS EXPLAINED and LISTS OF WORDS with common diphthongs for practice / reading aloud:
---------------------------/eɪ/ | /aɪ/ | /ɔɪ/ = Front Closing - the front of tongue moves upwards within (or towards in the case of /ɔɪ/) the front of the mouth.
--------------------------- /ɪə/ | /eə/ | /ʊə/ = Centring - the tongue starting from different positions in each case moves to the neutral position at the centre of the mouth.
---------------------------/əʊ/ | /aʊ/ = Back Closing - the back of the tongue moves upwards (a long way upwards in the case of /aʊ/) towards the "centre to back" of the mouth.
------Compare------ ![](ph14.gif)
Closing diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & slightly backwards------Closing diphthong, starts front betw. open & half-open, moves upwards towards /ɪ/
------Practise
Closing diphthong starts betw. open & half-open moves upwards & forwards
------Compare------ ![](ph17.gif)
Centring diphthong starts betw. half-close & close moves backwards & downwards-------------Centring diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves backwards
------Compare------ ![](ph18.gif)
Centring diphthong starts betw. half-close & close moves backwards & downwards-------------Centring diphthong, starts just above half-close betw. centre & back
------Compare------ ![](ph18.gif)
Centring diphthong, starts front betw. half-open & half-close, moves backwards-------------Centring diphthong, starts just above half-close betw. centre & back
------Compare------ ![](ph04.gif)
Closing diphthong, starts betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & back-------------rounded back open
------Compare------ ![](ph20.gif)
Closing diphthong, starts betw. half-open & half-close, moves upwards & back-------------Closing diphthong, starts open betw. front & centre, moves up & slightly back
------Compare-----![](ph2007.gif)
Closing diphthong, starts open betw. front & centre, moves up & slightly back-------------Triphthong, starts open betw. front & centre, moves up & slightly back, then slightly down to centralized vowel
Consonant Sounds---------------Practise consonant clusters
------Compare------ ![](ph22.gif)
voiceless bilabial plosive------ voiced bilabial plosive
------Compare------ ![](ph24.gif)
voiceless alveolar plosive------ voiced alveolar plosive
------Compare------ ![](ph26.gif)
voiceless velar plosive------ voiced velar plosive
------Compare------ ![](ph28.gif)
voiceless labio-dental fricative------ voiced labio-dental fricative
------Compare------ ![](ph30.gif)
voiceless dental fricative------ voiced dental fricative
------Compare------ ![](ph23.gif)
voiceless dental fricative------ voiceless alveolar plosive
------Compare------ ![](ph24.gif)
voiceless dental fricative------ voiced alveolar plosive
------Compare------ ![](ph32.gif)
voiceless dental fricative------ voiceless alveolar fricative
------Compare------ ![](ph24.gif)
voiced dental fricative------ voiceless alveolar fricative
------Compare------ ![](ph32.gif)
voiced dental fricative------ voiced alveolar fricative
------Compare------ ![](ph32.gif)
voiceless alveolar fricative------ voiced alveolar fricative
------Compare------ ![](ph35.gif)
voiced alveolar nasal------ voiced velar nasal
------Compare------ ![](ph99.gif)
voiced velar nasal------ (voiced) velar nasal followed by voiceless velar plosive
------Compare------ ![](ph37.gif)
voiced alveolar lateral continuant------ voiced post-alveolar frictionless continuant
------Compare------ ![](ph28.gif)
labio-velar semi-vowel------ voiced labio-dental fricative
------Compare------ SILENT "H"
voiceless glottal fricative
------Compare------ ![](ph43.gif)
voiceless palato-alveolar fricative------ voiceless palato-alveolar affricate
------Compare------ ![](ph44.gif)
voiceless palato-alveolar fricative------ voiced palato-alveolar affricate
------Compare------ ![](ph23.gif)
voiceless palato-alveolar affricate ------voiceless alveolar plosive
------Compare------ ![](ph44.gif)
voiceless palato-alveolar affricate ------voiced palato-alveolar affricate
------Compare------ ![](ph40.gif)
voiced palato-alveolar affricate ------palatal unrounded semi-vowel
Vowel Sounds | Consonant Sounds----------Top of Page