Minimal-Pair Pronunciation Practice: /ɑːr/ (“car”)
Typical Problem Sounds for Japanese Speakers
Practice the main English sounds that Japanese learners often find difficult.
Choose a sound, load an example word or phrase, and listen with different English voices and speeds.
Type a word or phrase → hear it
Ready.
Typical problem sounds for Japanese speakers
1. /ɪ/ vs /iː/
ship / sheep
live / leave
2. /r/ vs /l/
right / light
road / load
3. /æ/ vs /ʌ/ or /ɑː/
cat / cut
bad / bud
4. /θ/ and /ð/
think / this
three / those
5. /v/ vs /b/
vest / best
vote / boat
6. Final consonants
cap / cab
best / bed
7. Final -ed endings
worked
played
8. Consonant clusters
street
asked
9. Word stress
PREsent / preSENT
PHOtograph / phoTOGraphy
10. /r/ and English rhythm
red
around
Practice sentences
Tip: start very slow
Repeat 3–5 times
Compare different voices
Points
0 / 30
+1 if correct on 1st try
Typical Problem Sounds for Japanese Speakers
Click a), b), or c).
1. The white ______ is eating grass.
(白い羊が草を食べています。)
/ɪ/ vs /iː/ → ship, sheep, live, leave
a) ship (船)
b) sheep (羊)
c) shape (形)
2. I want to ______ in London one day.
(いつかロンドンに住みたいです。)
/ɪ/ vs /iː/ → live, leave, sit, seat
a) leave (去る / 離れる)
b) live (住む / 生きる)
c) love (愛する)
3. Please take a ______ before dinner.
(夕食の前に席についてください。)
/ɪ/ vs /iː/ → sit, seat, ship, sheep
a) seat (席)
b) sit (座る)
c) set (一式 / セット)
4. I saw a big ______ in the zoo.
(私は動物園で大きなライオンを見ました。)
/r/ vs /l/ → right, light, road, load
a) lion (ライオン)
b) iron (鉄)
c) line (線)
5. Please turn on the ______.
(明かりをつけてください。)
/r/ vs /l/ → right, light, road, load
a) right (右 / 正しい)
b) light (明かり)
c) late (遅い)
6. The ______ is very long.
(その道はとても長いです。)
/r/ vs /l/ → road, load, light, right
a) load (荷物)
b) road (道)
c) rod (棒)
7. Please ______ carefully before you answer.
(答える前によく考えてください。)
TH /θ/ → think, three, thank
a) sink (流し / 沈む)
b) think (考える)
c) thing (物)
8. ______ is my best friend.
(これは私の親友です。)
TH /ð/ → this, that, those
a) These (これら)
b) This (これ / この人)
c) Dis (誤った形)
9. ______ students are waiting outside.
(3人の学生が外で待っています。)
TH /θ/ → think, three, thank
a) Three (3)
b) Tree (木)
c) Free (自由な)
10. Please turn on the hall ______.
(廊下の明かりをつけてください。)
/h/ → house, happy, home
a) light (明かり)
b) height (高さ)
c) night (夜)
11. Her new ______ is very big.
(彼女の新しい家はとても大きいです。)
/h/ → house, happy, hello
a) house (家)
b) mouse (ねずみ)
c) horse (馬)
12. He is a very ______ child.
(彼はとても幸せな子どもです。)
/h/ → happy, house, home
a) happy (幸せな)
b) apple (りんご)
c) heavy (重い)
13. Please put on your seat ______.
(シートベルトを締めてください。)
Final consonants → belt, best, cap, cab
a) bell (ベル)
b) belt (ベルト)
c) bed (ベッド)
14. This English ______ is difficult.
(この英語のテストは難しいです。)
Final consonants → test, best, next
a) test (テスト)
b) text (文章 / テキスト)
c) ten (10)
15. I dropped the glass ______ on the floor.
(私はガラスのふたを床に落としました。)
Final consonants → cap, cab, cup
a) cup (カップ)
b) cab (タクシー)
c) cap (ふた / 帽子)
16. She ______ all day yesterday.
(彼女は昨日一日中働きました。)
Final -ed endings → worked, played, watched
a) work (働く)
b) worked (働いた)
c) worker (労働者)
17. They ______ tennis after lunch.
(彼らは昼食後にテニスをしました。)
Final -ed endings → played, worked, wanted
a) play (遊ぶ / する)
b) plate (皿)
c) played (した)
18. We ______ a movie last night.
(私たちは昨夜映画を見ました。)
Final -ed endings → watched, worked, lived
a) watch (見る / 腕時計)
b) watched (見た)
c) wash (洗う)
19. The children walk to ______ every day.
(子どもたちは毎日歩いて学校へ行きます。)
Consonant clusters → school, street, stop
a) school (学校)
b) cool (かっこいい / 涼しい)
c) stool (スツール)
20. Turn right at the next ______.
(次の通りを右に曲がってください。)
Consonant clusters → street, strong, school
a) seat (席)
b) sheet (紙 / シーツ)
c) street (通り)
21. Please wait at the bus ______.
(バス停で待ってください。)
Consonant clusters → stop, school, street
a) shop (店)
b) stop (停留所)
c) top (上 / てっぺん)
22. I got a birthday ______ from my uncle.
(私は叔父から誕生日プレゼントをもらいました。)
Word stress → PREsent / preSENT
a) present (プレゼント)
b) presence (存在 / حضور)
c) president (大統領 / 社長)
23. We will pre______ the report tomorrow.
(私たちは明日その報告書を発表します。)
Word stress → PREsent / preSENT
a) sand (砂)
b) sent (present の後半)
c) sence (誤った形)
24. The black ______ is under the table.
(黒い猫がテーブルの下にいます。)
/æ/ vs /ʌ/ vs /ɑː/ → cat, cut, cart
a) cut (切る)
b) cat (猫)
c) cart (カート)
25. My ______ is from Tokyo.
(私の夫 / 男性は東京出身です。)
/æ/ vs /ɛ/ → man, men, bat, bet
a) men (男性たち)
b) man (男性)
c) moon (月)
26. I need a clean ______ for my tea.
(お茶のためにきれいなカップが必要です。)
/ʌ/ vs /ɒ/ → cup, cop, luck, lock
a) cop (警官)
b) cup (カップ)
c) cap (帽子 / ふた)
27. Good ______ with your exam tomorrow.
(明日の試験、がんばってください。)
/ʌ/ vs /ɒ/ → luck, lock, bus, boss
a) lock (鍵 / 錠)
b) luck (運)
c) look (見る)
28. The front ______ is open.
(前のドアが開いています。)
/ɔː/ + /r/ → door, doll, draw
a) door (ドア)
b) doll (人形)
c) draw (描く)
29. The little boy is wearing a red ______.
(その男の子は赤いシャツを着ています。)
/r/ vs /l/ + vowels → red, light, really
a) shirt (シャツ)
b) short (短い / ショートパンツ)
c) skirt (スカート)
30. I can ______ the bird in the garden.
(庭で鳥の声が聞こえます。)
/ɪə/ /ɪr/ type contrast → hear, hair, here
a) hear (聞こえる)
b) hair (髪)
c) here (ここに)