minimal pairs for all English consonants:

Definition of minimal pairs

Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ by only one sound, whether it's a vowel or a
consonant sound. In the case of consonants, minimal pairs can help demonstrate the
importance of specific sounds in distinguishing the meaning of words. Here are some examples
of minimal pairs for all English consonant sounds:

✍️Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ in only one sound, typically consonants in this
case. Here are:-

Example 1

1. /p/ and /b/:

- pat / bat

- pin / bin

2. /t/ and /d/:

- tan / dan

- tin / din

3. /k/ and /g/:

- kit / git

- can / gan

4. /f/ and /v/:

- fat / vat

- fan / van
5. /θ/ and /ð/:

- thin / then

- thing / sing

6. /s/ and /z/:

- sit / zit

- sip / zip

7. /ʃ/ and /ʒ/:

- ship / zip

- shop / chop

8. /tʃ/ and /dʒ/:

- chip / dip

- chat / chat

9. /h/ and /w/:

- hat / what

- hip / whip

10. /m/ and /n/:

- mat / nat

- met / net

11. /ŋ/ and /n/:

- sing / sin
 - wing / win

12. /l/ and /r/:

- light / right

- lane / rain

13. /j/ and /w/:

- yet / wet

- yes / west

Example 2

1. /p/ - /b/: pale - bale

2. /t/ - /d/: tin - din

3. /k/ - /g/: kick - gick

4. /f/ - /v/: fan - van

5. /θ/ - /ð/: thin - then

6. /s/ - /z/: sun - fun

7. /ʃ/ - /ʒ/: ship - zip

8. /h/ - /ɦ/: hot - lot

9. /m/ - /n/: man - ban

10. /l/ - /r/: let - red

11. /w/ - /j/: wet - yet

12. /ŋ/ - /n/: ring - wing

Example 3

1. /p/ vs. /b/

- Pat / Bat

- Pail / Bail

2. /t/ vs. /d/

- Tag / Dab

- Tight / Dight

3. /k/ vs. /g/

- Cap / Gap

- Cake / Gape

4. /f/ vs. /v/

- Fan / Van

- Fill / Will

5. /θ/ vs. /ð/

- Thin / Then

- Bath / Bathe

6. /s/ vs. /z/

- Sue / Zoo

- Sat / Zat

7. /ʃ/ vs. /ʒ/

 - Ship / Zip

- Dish / Jig

8. /m/ vs. /n/

- Mat / Nat

- Mad / Nod

9. /h/ vs. /ŋ/

- Hat / Hang

- Hall / Pong

10. /w/ vs. /j/

- Wet / Yet

- Will / Yell

11. /r/ vs. /l/

- Rat / Latch

- Ripe / Lipe

12. /tʃ/ vs. /dʒ/

- Chip / Gyp

- Touch / Judge