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Minimal Pairs Practice Activity

In this lesson, students practice pronouncing minimal pairs.

Give students a copy of the chart below. Have each student circle two words from each line. Then, have students say the circled words to a partner. Instruct the partner to circle the words that he/she hears. When students finish saying the circled words, have both students compare answers to see if they have circled the same words.

leather leader litter ladder lather letter
fell fill feel fail felt file
look luck lack lick leak lock
hat hut heat hit hot
eat it ate at ought hot
set seed said sad sit seat
sheep cheap ship chip shop chop
rice rise raise race
will well whale while wall wheel
meet mate met made mitt
bear beer beard bird bored
heat hit height hat hate
people paper pebble pepper
sing sink sin sick sign song
ring wrong rang rung
boot bought boat but bot
ear here hair hire air error
since science scenes signs sends sense
choose Jews shoes juice
caught cut coat cat cute
dog dug dock duck
bog bock back buck bug bag
vet bet boat vote vest best
decease disease desist
beets beads beds bets
less lease lice lies
this these tease
lose loose lust lost lest last
star store steer stare
through tow though tough too
layer lawyer liar loyal lower
cheese chess chase choice
mat math tens tenths tents
pull bull pat bat bath bet
peach beach pitch which rich reach
we’re veer wheel veal
face faced phase phased
card cart curt court core
beat Pete bit pitt
crush crutch watch wash