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Minimal Pairs List
🟢 Easy 138 sets
#ContrastWord 1Word 2Word 3
1 l vs r lierye
2 l vs r in cluster clueklūcrewkrū
3 ŏ vs ŭ shotshotshutshut
4 y-onset vs vowel yeastyēsteastēst
5 ō vs awr bonebōnbornbawrn
6 l vs r latelātraterāt
7 l vs r in cluster flightflītfrightfrīt
8 l vs r in cluster classklascrasskras
9 a vs u dragdragdrugdrug
10 l vs r liplipriprip
11 s vs th (final) trucetrūstruthtrūth
12 s vs th (final) facefāsfaithfāth
13 o vs u golfgolfgulfgulf
14 s vs th (final) mousemowsmouthmowth
15 r vs w reelrēlwealwēl
16 same sound — spelling differs realrēlreelrēl
17 w vs wh wealwēlwheelwēl
18 l vs r in cluster flameflāmframefrām
19 s vs th (final) worsewursworthwurth
20 l vs r leechlēchreachrēch
21 u vs a hutchhuchhatchhach
22 r vs l freefrēfleeflē
23 rdz vs rz (extra d sound) cardskaardzcarskaarz
24 e vs a techtektacktak
25 ay vs ayt (vowel vs vowel + final t) Aāeightāt
26 l vs r lacelāsracerās
27 t vs d (final) litlitlidlid
28 k vs g (final) backbakbagbag
29 s vs th (final) massmasmathmath
30 aw vs ō Paulpawlpolepōl
31 l vs r in cluster cloudklowdcrowdkrowd
32 f vs lf (final consonant) woofwʊfwolfwʊlf
33 o vs ō wantwontwon'twōnt
34 l vs r in cluster, final t vs d flightflītfriedfrīd
35 y-onset vs vowel start yearyērearēryeahya
36 a vs o vs u sacksaksocksoksucksuk
37 aw vs u vs r-onset longlawnglunglungwrongrawng
38 ō vs ōl vs awr codekōdcoldkōldcordkawrd
39 b/v + a vs u banbanbunbunvanvan
40 aw vs ō vs u chalkchawkchokechōkchuckchuk
41 aar vs awr vs ur barnbaarnbornbawrnburnburn
42 a vs a+th vs u bassbasbathbathbusbus
43 l/r + o vs ō clockklokcroakkrōkcloakklōk
44 ōl vs aw vs awr molemōlmallmawlmoremawr
45 aar vs a vs aw marsmaarzmathmathmothmawth
46 l/r + i vs ee clickklikcreekkrēkcrickkrik
47 ōl vs awr vs aw stolestōlstorestawrstallstawl
48 o + final consonant cobkobcodkodcotkot
49 r vs w (homophones: why = Y) ryewhyY
50 end vs engkth vs ent lendlendlengthlengkthlentlent
51 aw vs aarl vs ōl mallmawlmarlmaarlmolemōl
52 i vs r+i vs ee listlistwristristleastlēst
53 a vs aw vs o natchnachnautchnawchnotchnoch
54 doo vs dyoo (near-homophones in American English) doduedū/dyūdewdū/dyū
55 a vs o vs aw panpanponponpawnpawn
56 v vs b vs d (final) curvekurvcurbkurbcurdkurd
57 o vs aar vs ur dotdotdartdaartdirtdurt
58 l vs r onset, ō vs awr loadlōdlordlawrdroadrōd
59 final m vs n vs t amamananatat
60 rote = wrote (homophones) — ō vs aw roterōtwroterōtwroughtrawt
61 aw vs ō vs awr talltawltolltōltoretawr
62 th vs d thenthendenden
63 s vs th sinksinkthinkthink
64 aar vs ur larklaarklurklurk
65 r vs l readrēdleadlēd
66 b vs v bestbestvestvest
67 b vs v boatbōtvotevōt
68 ʊ vs ū (short vs long oo) pullpʊlpoolpūl
69 ʊ vs ū (short vs long oo) fullfʊlfoolfūl
70 l vs r playplāprayprā
71 u vs o vs aar cupkupcopkopcarpkaarp
72 t vs d vs g (final) batbatbadbadbagbag
73 b vs d (final) robrobrodrod
74 d vs t (final) seedsēdseatsēt
75 t vs d (final) cartkaartcardkaard
76 a vs o blackblakblockblok
77 k vs g (final) locklokloglog
78 o vs u vs aar dockdokduckdukdarkdaark
79 a vs o vs u patpatpotpotputtput
80 a vs u hashhashhushhush
81 a vs u tagtagtugtug
82 cl vs cr, a vs u clashclashcrashcrashcrushcrush
83 l vs r lootlūtrootrūt
84 silent gh; weigh = whey (homophones) weighweightwātwhey
85 final t datedātday
86 gl vs gr gleyglāgraygrā
87 final s vs th tensetenstenthtenth
88 t vs l whitewītwhilewīl
89 a vs o addadoddod
90 l vs r glowglōgrowgrō
91 a vs aw vs u sangsangsongsawngsungsung
92 n vs ng sinsinsingsing
93 n vs ng sunsunsungsung
94 n vs ng thinthinthingthing
95 n vs ng fanfanfangfang
96 l vs r launchlawnchraunchrawnch
97 l vs r glueglūgrewgrū
98 aw vs o vs u · same -t naughtnawtnotnotnutnut
99 l vs r onset lotlotrotrot
100 weak kən vs strong kant · -t ending cankən / kancan'tkant
101 s vs sh onset sipsipshipship
102 aw vs ō pausepawzposepōz
103 aw vs ō baldbawldboldbōld
104 ō vs awr · folk l silent folkfōkforkfawrk
105 ō vs awr pokepōkporkpawrk
106 fl vs fr · l vs r flyflīfryfrī
107 bl vs br · l vs r bladeblāydbraidbrāyd
108 pl vs pr · l vs r plyplīpryprī
109 z vs ts (extra t sound) isizitsits
110 z vs ts (extra t sound) staysstāzstatesstāts
111 s vs ts (extra t sound) lesslesletslets
112 ks vs kts (extra t sound) faxfaksfactsfakts
113 z vs ts (extra t sound) waswuzwhat'swuts
114 nz vs nts (extra t sound) painspānzpaintspānts
115 z vs ts (extra t sound) lieslīzlightslīts
116 nz vs ndz (extra d sound) finesfīnzfindsfīndz
117 z vs dz (extra d sound) feesfēzfeedsfēdz
118 z vs dz (extra d sound) riserīzridesrīdz
119 nz vs ndz (extra d sound) lenslenzlendslendz
120 lz vs ldz (extra d sound) billsbilzbuildsbildz
121 a vs u mashmashmushmush
122 aw vs ō fawnfawnphonefōn
123 cr vs cl onset · u vs o crutchkruchclutchkluchcrotchkroch
124 d vs t (final) grandgrandgrantgrant
125 l vs r in cluster bloomblūmbroombrūm
126 l vs r in cluster blueblūbrewbrū
127 ō vs awr stokestōkstorkstawrk
128 a vs o vs u appapopopupup
129 a vs o vs u hathathothothuthut
130 a vs u vs ur tantantontunturnturn
131 ō vs awr tonetōntorntawrn
132 b vs v boltbōltvoltvōlt
133 a vs u · n vs ng fanfanfunfunfangfang
134 t vs d (final) rentrentrendrend
135 a vs o slabslabslobslob
136 l vs r in cluster gloomglūmgroomgrūm
137 a vs u tabtabtubtub
138 o vs ō vs awr conkonconekōncornkawrn
🟡 Medium 55 sets
#ContrastWord 1Word 2Word 3
1 l vs r (medial) collaboratekə-láb-ə-ràytcorroboratekə-rób-ə-ràyt
2 ŏ vs ŭ mommymóm-ēmummymúm-ē
3 b vs v burybér-ēveryvér-ē
4 b vs v + ĕ vs air burybér-ēvaryváir-ē
5 b vs v (bury = berry) berrybér-ēveryvér-ē
6 ă vs ŭ ankleáng-kəluncleúng-kəl
7 l vs r laserlā́-zərrazorrā́-zər
8 l vs r leatherléth-ərratherráth-ər
9 same sound — spelling differs weatherwéth-ərwhetherwéth-ər
10 a vs u wanderwón-dərwonderwún-dər
11 l vs r (medial) pilotpī́-lətpiratepī́-rət
12 ay vs ee (stressed vowel) sacredsā́-kridsecretsḗ-krit
13 l vs r dailydā́-lēdairydáir-ē
14 l vs r fairlyfáir-lēfairyfáir-ē
15 l vs r glamourglám-ərgrammargrám-ər
16 ay·tən vs at·ərn Satansā́-tənSaturnsát-ərn
17 a vs o valleyvál-ēvolleyvól-ē
18 stress: DEZ·ərt vs di·ZURT desertdéz-ərtdessertdi-zúrt
19 fyoo-TƏL vs fyoo-dəl futilefyū́-təlfeudalfyū́-dəl
20 z vs th (voiced) breezingbrḗ-zingbreathingbrḗ-thing
21 e vs a (stressed vowel) celerysél-ə-rēsalarysál-ə-rē
22 homophones: same sounds, different word boundary Taipeitī-pā́Type Atīp ā́
23 connected speech: 'got a' sounds like 'gutter' got agót əguttergút-ər
24 connected speech: 'but a' sounds like 'butter' but abút əbutterbút-ər
25 + /t/ sound (past tense -ed) talk totáwk tūtalked totáwkt tū
26 i vs ə (unstressed first syllable) effecti-féktaffectə-fékt
27 a vs o (stressed first syllable) accidenták-si-dəntOccidentók-si-dənt
28 2 syllables vs 1 syllable closesklṓ-zizclothesklōz
29 r vs l, e vs ay (stressed vowel) readyréd-ēladylā́-dē
30 same spelling — ō vs o (different meaning) Polishpṓ-lishpolishpól-ish
31 o vs a followfól-ōfarrowfár-ō
32 kə-REER vs KAR-ee-ər vs KUR-ee-ər careerkə-rḗrcarrierkár-ē-ərcurrierkúr-ē-ər
33 ō·bel vs ō·bəl vs ov·əl nobelnō-bélnoblenṓ-bəlnovelnóv-əl
34 a vs e vs o hallowhál-ōhellohə-lṓhollowhól-ō
35 u vs o colorkúl-ərcollarkól-ər
36 a vs o (stressed vowel) battlebát-əlbottlebót-əl
37 a vs u (stressed vowel) hasslehás-əlhustlehús-əl
38 u vs ur studystúd-ēsturdystúr-dē
39 ū vs o vs aar googolgū́-gəlgogglegóg-əlgarglegáar-gəl
40 o vs ō modelmód-əlmodalmṓ-dəl
41 ō vs aw · -t vs -d notenōtnodenōdnaughtnawt
42 l vs r vs l+r Juliejū́-lējuryjū́r-ējewelryjū́-əl-rē
43 él- vs i-léj- · stress shift eligibleél-i-ji-bəlillegiblei-léj-i-bəl
44 ē vs i · stress shift decadedḗ-kayddecayeddi-kàyd
45 stress shift · ə vs u discusdís-kəsdiscussdi-skús
46 medial -d- voiced vs -t- unvoiced ladderlád-ərlatterlát-ər
47 āy vs e · -j- vs -zh- majormāy-jərmeasuremézhər
48 pl onset · -j- vs -zh- pledgerpléj-ərpleasureplézhər
49 l onset · -j- vs -zh- ledgerléj-ərleisurelézhər
50 connected speech: 'come on' sounds like 'common' come onkúm oncommonkóm-ən
51 aa vs u (calm vs come) calm downkáam downcome downkúm down
52 v vs b (silent p in cupboard) coveredkúv-ərdcupboardkúb-ərd
53 e vs a (stressed vowel) Kennedykén-ə-dēCanidaekán-i-dē
54 o vs ō (silent h in honor) honorón-ərownerṓn-ər
55 awr vs u (stressed vowel) proportionprə-páwr-shənpropulsionprə-púl-shən
🔴 Hard 52 sets
#ContrastWord 1Word 2Word 3Word 4Word 5Word 6
1 aw vs awl vs ur vs url wardwawrdwallwawlwordwurdworldwurld
2 aw vs ow vs ō vs awr laudlawdloudlowdloadlōdlordlawrd
3 aar vs ur vs ō vs awr farmfaarmfirmfurmfoamfōmformfawrm
4 awr vs ō vs aw vs o boardbawrdboatbōtboughtbawtbotbot
5 a vs air vs ay vs u palacepál-isParispáir-isplaceplāsplusplus
6 l vs r + vowel quality lightlītlighterlī́-tərrightrītwriterrī́-tər
7 ō vs awr vs aw cokekōkconekōncorekawrcorkkawrkcornkawrncallkawl
8 l/r + ee vs ōō fleaflēfluteflūtfreefrēfruitfrūt
9 l/r + a vs o vs u lacklaklockloklucklukrackrakrockrokruckruk
10 aar vs a vs awr vs o partpaartpatpatportpawrtpotpot
11 l/r + ay vs e lakelākleklekrakerākwreckrek
12 aw vs awr vs ōl vs ō rawrawroarrawrrollrōlrow
13 l/r + a vs e vs u laglagleglegluglugragragrugrug
14 aw vowel series saltsawltsawsawsewsortsawrtsoughtsawt
15 aw vs ō vs awr vs ur talltawltoetorntawrnturnturn
16 aar vs u vs o vs a sharkshaarkshuckshukshockshokshackshak
17 aw vs awr vs ō · final variety forcefawrsfalsefawlshosehōzhorsehawrsfourthfawrth
18 o vs u vs oo vs ur collarkól-ərcolorkúl-ərcoolerkū́-lərcurlerkúrl-ər
19 aa vs aar vs u vs u lavaláa-vəlarvaláar-vəloverlúv-ərrubberrúb-ər
20 l/r + vowel variety clackklakclerkklurkclockklokcluckklukcrackkrak
21 aw vs ōl vs ōn vs awr vs awrm stallstawlstolestōlstonestōnstorestawrstormstawrm
22 l/r + ee vs e vs i leadlēdledledlidlidridridreadrēd
23 l/r + o vs u loblobloveluvrobrobrubrub
24 aar vs aw vs ur vs o yarnyaarnyawnyawnyearnyurnyonyon
25 a vs aar vs aw vs e vs o vs u dandandarndaarndawndawndendendondondonedun
26 ō vowel + final consonant closeklōzclosedklōzdclothklawthclotheklōth
27 l/r + vowel variety lamlamlamelāmramramromromRomerōmrumrum
28 l/r + a vs e vs o vs u laglagleglegloglogluglugragragrugrug
29 l/r + oo vowel series lewdlūdloorouxruderūdrulerūl
30 aar vs o vs u vs ur carvekaarvcobkobcubkubcurbkurbcurvekurv
31 aw + h vs ø onset allawlhallhawloarawrwholehōl
32 l/r + ee vs i leechlēchlycheelḗ-chēreachrēchrichrich
33 a vs ō vs ōō vs awr vs ow patchpachpoachpōchpoochpūchporchpawrchpouchpowch
34 aa vs aar vs awr vs ur fafaafarfaarforfawrfurfur
35 e vs i (prefix vowel) emigrantém-i-grəntemigrateém-i-gràytimmigrantím-i-grəntimmigrateím-i-gràyt
36 aw vs aar vs aa vs ur falterfáwl-tərfartherfáar-thərfatherfáa-thərfurtherfúr-thər
37 s vs sh, ee vs i, final t vs d seatsētsheetshētsitsitseedsēd
38 aard vs aart vs urt vs ot hardhaardhearthaarthurthurthothot
39 aw vs ō vs ow vs owl aweawoweōowowowlowl
40 l/r + a vs u lamplamplumplumprampramprumprump
41 a vs o, final d vs t padpadpatpatpodpodpotpot
42 a vs u vs ō vs awr damdamdumbdumdomedōmdormdawrm
43 ō vs o vs aw vs u doughdolldoldawndawndulldul
44 a vs aw vs aar · -s vs -th vs -rz massmasmathmathmossmawsMorsemawrzMarsmaarzmothmawth
45 a vs u vs aw · l vs r onset lastlastlustlustlostlawstrustrust
46 aw vs ō · -l vs -r vs open mallmawlmolemōlmoremawrmowmawmaw
47 u vs o vs aar; ə vs e (final) bubblebúb-əlbobblebób-əlbarbelbáar-bəlbarbellbáar-bel
48 same ī · open vs -t vs -d vs -l vs -p tietighttīttidetīdtiletīltypetīp
49 y onset + vowel variety yachtyotyawyawyoreyawryeahyayo
50 w/wh onset + vowel variety · walk l silent walkwawkwokewōkworkwurkwokwokwackwakwhackwak
51 -ary vs -ally ending literarylít-ə-rer-ēliterallylít-ər-ə-lē
52 a vs aar vs aw vs o vs u stackstakstarkstaarkstalkstawkstockstokstuckstuk