Listen Up! Intermediate S8

Understanding minimal pairs - Talking about unexpected events

Minimal Pair

Two words in a language which differ from each other by only one distinctive sound (one phoneme) and which also differ in meaning. For example, the English words bear and pear are a minimal pair as they differ in meaning and in their initial phonemes /b/ and /p/.

(Lognman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics)

But... let's be alert!

Minimal pair is a phonological concept. It is related to how words are pronounced, not how words are written.

The words buy and high are minimal pairs.

Check the pronunciation of buy and high.

However...

Words such as low (adjective) and bow (verb) are not minimal pairs. Listen and check their pronunciation.

Multiple Choice

Are the words breathe and breeze a minimal pair?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Are the words paid and page a minimal pair?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Are the words base and phase a minimal pair?

• Yes

• No

The words base and phase have two different sounds.

/beɪs/ and /feɪz/

Multiple Choice

Are the words maid and made a minimal pair?

• Yes

• No

The words maid and made sound exactly the same.

/meɪd/ and /meɪd/

Minimal pairs occur in the initial position: cap and gap. In middle position: coffee and copy. And in final position: mate and made.

Attention!

The accent (regional variety) influences what is a minimal pair and what is not a minimal pair. In some British accents, the words hat and heart are minimal pairs: /hæt/ and /hɑːt/. In American accents they are not a minimal pair:  /hæt/ and /hɑːrt/.

Listen to these words according to standard British pronunciation and standard American pronunciation:

Practise, practise, practise...

Listen to some sentences and complete the gap.

Multiple Choice

You can't say ____ on a gravestone.

• dad

• dead

Multiple Choice

We have ____ for lunch.

• Brad

• bread

Multiple Choice

That boy over there is ____.

• Paul

• tall

Multiple Choice

I can't sleep in this ____.

• heat

• sheet

Multiple Choice

I really need some ____ to understand what he wrote there.

• classes

• glasses

Multiple Choice

Shall we go to the cinema? I've got ____ tickets!

• three

• free

Multiple Choice

The ____ said it opens at 10.

• card

• guard

Multiple Choice

Stop it! It's ____.

• licking

• leaking

Multiple Choice

Delicious dessert we had yesterday. If I'm not wrong, it was ____ trifle.

• sherry

• cherry

Yay!!! You got it!

Now, get ready for our next session!