live vs leave (/ɪ/ vs /iː/) – German Speakers
German speakers often make the English short /ɪ/ too long,
or they do not clearly hear the difference between /ɪ/ and /iː/.
The short sound must be shorter and more relaxed.
The long sound must be longer and tenser.
/ɪ/ short — live, sit, fill
/iː/ long — leave, seat, feel
1. Basic contrast
live /lɪv/
leave /liːv/
sit /sɪt/
seat /siːt/
fill /fɪl/
feel /fiːl/
ship /ʃɪp/
sheep /ʃiːp/
slip /slɪp/
sleep /sliːp/
2. Minimal pairs
live /lɪv/
leave /liːv/
sit /sɪt/
seat /siːt/
fill /fɪl/
feel /fiːl/
ship /ʃɪp/
sheep /ʃiːp/
slip /slɪp/
sleep /sliːp/
bit /bɪt/
beat /biːt/
lick /lɪk/
leak /liːk/
rid /rɪd/
read /riːd/
bin /bɪn/
bean /biːn/
pick /pɪk/
peak /piːk/
3. Longer words (important)
living /ˈlɪvɪŋ/
leaving /ˈliːvɪŋ/
finish /ˈfɪnɪʃ/
feeling /ˈfiːlɪŋ/
sitting /ˈsɪtɪŋ/
seating /ˈsiːtɪŋ/
filling /ˈfɪlɪŋ/
sleepy /ˈsliːpi/
different /ˈdɪfrənt/
speaker /ˈspiːkə/
4. German comparison
German speakers often make English /ɪ/ sound too much like German long i.
ihm
Biene
Liebe
But English must clearly separate the short and long sound:
live live live
leave leave leave
sit sit sit
seat seat seat
fill fill fill
feel feel feel
5. Mouth movement
/ɪ/ short vowel
short and relaxed
slightly lower than /iː/
live — sit — fill
/iː/ long vowel
longer and tenser
lips slightly spread
leave — seat — feel
Most important pairs
live
leave
sit
seat
fill
feel
ship
sheep
slip
sleep
bit
beat
lick
leak
rid
read
bin
bean
pick
peak