American English
English minimal pairs
A minimal pair is two words that differ by a single sound: ship and sheep, light and right. Saying them one after the other is the fastest way to train your ear and your mouth at the same time. Pick the pair of sounds you mix up, say each pair out loud, and Tono shows you whether both words came out right.
- /ɪ/ · /iː/ ship and sheep 15 pairs
- /θ/ · /s/ think and sink 12 pairs
- /θ/ · /t/ three and tree 10 pairs
- /ð/ · /d/ they and day 8 pairs
- /l/ · /ɹ/ light and right 14 pairs
- /v/ · /w/ vest and west 10 pairs
- /v/ · /b/ very and berry 9 pairs
- /æ/ · /ɛ/ bad and bed 11 pairs
- /æ/ · /ʌ/ cat and cut 12 pairs
- /ɑː/ · /ʌ/ hot and hut 10 pairs
- /ʊ/ · /uː/ full and fool 8 pairs
- /s/ · /ʃ/ see and she 10 pairs
- /ŋ/ · /n/ sing and sin 9 pairs