Minimal Pairs in American English: Monophthong Vowel Sounds
ɪ vs i
| ship /ʃɪp/ | sheep /ʃip/ |
| sin /sɪn/ | seen /sin/ |
| bit /bɪt/ | beat /bit/ |
| sit /sɪt/ | seat /sit/ |
| fill /fɪl/ | feel /fil/ |
| bitch /bɪtʃ/ | beach /bitʃ/ |
| live /lɪv/ | leave /liv/ |
| pick /pɪk/ | peak /pik/ |
| chip /tʃɪp/ | cheap /tʃip/ |
| lip /lɪp/ | leap /lip/ |
| hit /hɪt/ | heat /hit/ |
| Rick /rɪk/ | reek /rik/ |
| sick /sɪk/ | seek /sik/ |
| bin /bɪn/ | bean /bin/ |
| did /dɪd/ | deed /did/ |
| will /wɪl/ | wheel /wil/ |
| rich /rɪtʃ/ | reach /ritʃ/ |
| fist /fɪst/ | feast /fist/ |
| bit /bɪt/ | beet /bit/ |
| fit /fɪt/ | feet /fit/ |
æ vs ɛ
| bad /bæd/ | bed /bɛd/ |
| man /mæn/ | men /mɛn/ |
| pan /pæn/ | pen /pɛn/ |
| tan /tæn/ | ten /tɛn/ |
| mad /mæd/ | med /mɛd/ |
| sad /sæd/ | said /sɛd/ |
| Brad /bræd/ | bread /brɛd/ |
| bat /bæt/ | bet /bɛt/ |
| bag /bæɡ/ | beg /bɛɡ/ |
| had /hæd/ | head /hɛd/ |
| sat /sæt/ | set /sɛt/ |
| lad /læd/ | led /lɛd/ |
| land /lænd/ | lend /lɛnd/ |
| dad /dæd/ | dead /dɛd/ |
| and /ænd/ | end /ɛnd/ |
| sand /sænd/ | send /sɛnd/ |
| gas /ɡæs/ | guess /ɡɛs/ |
u vs ʊ
| pool /pul/ | pull /pʊl/ |
| fool /ful/ | full /fʊl/ |
| Luke /luk/ | look /lʊk/ |
| who’d /hud/ | hood /hʊd/ |
| suit /sut/ | soot /sʊt/ |
