Minimal Pairs
Words differing by one sound.
Examples
- ship / sheep
- bit / beat
Key rules
- Minimal pairs are two words that differ by only one sound, such as ship and sheep
- Practising them helps you hear and produce the difference
- Use them to check your listening as well as speaking
Common mistakes
- ship confused with sheep in a conversation → Practise /ɪ/ in ship and /iː/ in sheep
- bit confused with beat → Practise /ɪ/ in bit and /iː/ in beat
Use cases
- Pronunciation practice
- Listening tests
- Clear speaking in class
💡 Tip: Say each pair aloud in a list, then in a sentence, and record yourself to hear the difference.