English minimal pairs

1 & 2 · The sound pairs · Die Lautpaare

3. Five exercises you can use with every pair · Fünf Übungen für jedes Paar

1. Say the pair three times.

   Start slowly, then say it at normal speed. Listen first, then repeat.
   ▶ Ship, sheep ×3
   Sag das Wortpaar dreimal. Beginne langsam und sprich dann in normalem Tempo.

2. Listen and choose.

   Your partner says one word from the pair – or let the computer do it. Say one for the first word or two for the second. Hör zu und sag „eins“ für das erste Wort oder „zwei“ für das zweite.
   Sound contrast: Mixed – all sounds · gemischt1. /ɪ/ and /iː/ (ship – sheep)2. /ɪ/ and /e/ (pin – pen)3. /e/ and /æ/ (pen – pan)4. /æ/ and /ʌ/ (cap – cup)5. /æ/ and /ɑː/ (cat – cart)6. /æ/ and /ɒ/ (hat – hot)7. /ʌ/ and /ɒ/ (luck – lock)8. /ʌ/ and /ɑː/ (cut – cart)9. /ɒ/ and /ɔː/ (cot – caught)10. /ʊ/ and /uː/ (full – fool)11. /ʊ/ and /ʌ/ (put – putt)12. /ɔː/ and /ɜː/ (walk – work)13. /e/ and /ɜː/ (bed – bird)14. /e/ and /eɪ/ (wet – wait)15. /ɪ/ and /aɪ/ (bit – bite)16. /eɪ/ and /aɪ/ (late – light)17. /aɪ/ and /ɔɪ/ (buy – boy)18. /aɪ/ and /aʊ/ (time – town)19. /æ/ and /aʊ/ (cat – cow)20. /ɒ/ and /əʊ/ (hop – hope)21. /əʊ/ and /aʊ/ (coat – count)22. /ɔː/ and /əʊ/ (caught – coat)23. /ɪə/ and /eə/ (fear – fair)24. /eə/ and /eɪ/ (share – shay)25. /p/ and /b/ (pat – bat)26. /t/ and /d/ (tie – die)27. /k/ and /ɡ/ (coat – goat)28. /f/ and /v/ (fan – van)29. /s/ and /z/ (sip – zip)30. /s/ and /ʃ/ (see – she)31. /ʒ/ and /z/ (beige – bays)32. /tʃ/ and /ʃ/ (chip – ship)33. /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ (choke – joke)34. /dʒ/ and /j/ (joke – yoke)35. /t/ and /θ/ (tin – thin)36. /s/ and /θ/ (sink – think)37. /f/ and /θ/ (fin – thin)38. /d/ and /ð/ (day – they)39. /z/ and /ð/ (close – clothe)40. /θ/ and /ð/ (teeth – teethe)41. /v/ and /w/ (vest – west)42. /l/ and /r/ (light – right)43. /r/ and /w/ (red – wed)44. /m/ and /n/ (sum – sun)45. /n/ and /ŋ/ (sin – sing)46. /h/ and no /h/ (heat – eat)

   ▶ Play a word New word · neues Wort

   1 · cap2 · cab

   Score: 0 / 0

3. Same or different?

   Your partner says two words. Say same or different.
   ▶ Fan, fan → same   ▶ Fan, van → different
   Dein Partner oder deine Partnerin sagt zwei Wörter. Klingen sie gleich oder verschieden?
   Sound contrast: Mixed – all sounds · gemischt1. /ɪ/ and /iː/ (ship – sheep)2. /ɪ/ and /e/ (pin – pen)3. /e/ and /æ/ (pen – pan)4. /æ/ and /ʌ/ (cap – cup)5. /æ/ and /ɑː/ (cat – cart)6. /æ/ and /ɒ/ (hat – hot)7. /ʌ/ and /ɒ/ (luck – lock)8. /ʌ/ and /ɑː/ (cut – cart)9. /ɒ/ and /ɔː/ (cot – caught)10. /ʊ/ and /uː/ (full – fool)11. /ʊ/ and /ʌ/ (put – putt)12. /ɔː/ and /ɜː/ (walk – work)13. /e/ and /ɜː/ (bed – bird)14. /e/ and /eɪ/ (wet – wait)15. /ɪ/ and /aɪ/ (bit – bite)16. /eɪ/ and /aɪ/ (late – light)17. /aɪ/ and /ɔɪ/ (buy – boy)18. /aɪ/ and /aʊ/ (time – town)19. /æ/ and /aʊ/ (cat – cow)20. /ɒ/ and /əʊ/ (hop – hope)21. /əʊ/ and /aʊ/ (coat – count)22. /ɔː/ and /əʊ/ (caught – coat)23. /ɪə/ and /eə/ (fear – fair)24. /eə/ and /eɪ/ (share – shay)25. /p/ and /b/ (pat – bat)26. /t/ and /d/ (tie – die)27. /k/ and /ɡ/ (coat – goat)28. /f/ and /v/ (fan – van)29. /s/ and /z/ (sip – zip)30. /s/ and /ʃ/ (see – she)31. /ʒ/ and /z/ (beige – bays)32. /tʃ/ and /ʃ/ (chip – ship)33. /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ (choke – joke)34. /dʒ/ and /j/ (joke – yoke)35. /t/ and /θ/ (tin – thin)36. /s/ and /θ/ (sink – think)37. /f/ and /θ/ (fin – thin)38. /d/ and /ð/ (day – they)39. /z/ and /ð/ (close – clothe)40. /θ/ and /ð/ (teeth – teethe)41. /v/ and /w/ (vest – west)42. /l/ and /r/ (light – right)43. /r/ and /w/ (red – wed)44. /m/ and /n/ (sum – sun)45. /n/ and /ŋ/ (sin – sing)46. /h/ and no /h/ (heat – eat)

   ▶ Play two words New round · neue Runde

   Same · gleich Different · verschieden

   Score: 0 / 0

4. Change one sound.

   Say the first word, then change only the target sound. Try it in both directions.
   ▶ Bed → bad → bed
   Sprich das erste Wort und ändere nur den markierten Laut. Übe in beide Richtungen.

5. Put the word in a sentence.

   Read one sentence aloud. Your partner identifies the word you used. Then swap roles.
   ▶ We saw a ship. (Wir haben ein Schiff gesehen.)
   ▶ We saw a sheep. (Wir haben ein Schaf gesehen.)

4. Choose the word that fits · Wähle das passende Wort

Listen to the sentence if you like, then click the right word. Hör dir den Satz an, wenn du möchtest, und klicke dann auf das richtige Wort.