Minimal Pairs /e/ And /æ/ (Bed And Bad)
44 pairs of words that differ only in /e/ and /æ/. /e/ is a front half-open unrounded vowel and /æ/ is a front open unrounded vowel.
| With /e/ | With /æ/ |
|---|---|
| ate /et/ | at /æt/ |
| bed /bed/ | bad /bæd/ |
| beg /beɡ/ | bag /bæɡ/ |
| bet /bet/ | bat /bæt/ |
| end /end/ | and /ænd/ |
| gem /dʒem/ | jam /dʒæm/ |
| leg /leɡ/ | lag /læɡ/ |
| men /men/ | man /mæn/ |
| met /met/ | mat /mæt/ |
| pen /pen/ | pan /pæn/ |
| set /set/ | sat /sæt/ |
| dead /ded/ | dad /dæd/ |
| head /hed/ | had /hæd/ |
| net /net/ | gnat /næt/ |
| said /sed/ | sad /sæd/ |
| bend /bend/ | band /bænd/ |
| guess /ɡes/ | gas /ɡæs/ |
| lend /lend/ | land /lænd/ |
| mesh /meʃ/ | mash /mæʃ/ |
| mess /mes/ | mass /mæs/ |
| peck /pek/ | pack /pæk/ |
| rent /rent/ | rant /rænt/ |
| send /send/ | sand /sænd/ |
| then /ðen/ | than /ðæn/ |
| neck /nek/ | knack /næk/ |
| wreck /rek/ | rack /ræk/ |
| adept /əˈdept/ | adapt /əˈdæpt/ |
| blend /blend/ | bland /blænd/ |
| flesh /fleʃ/ | flash /flæʃ/ |
| merry /ˈmer.i/ | marry /ˈmær.i/ |
| shell /ʃel/ | shall /ʃæl/ |
| pedal /ˈped.əl/ | paddle /ˈpæd.əl/ |
| rebel /ˈreb.əl/ | rabble /ˈræb.əl/ |
| elegy /ˈel.ə.dʒi/ | allergy /ˈæl.ə.dʒi/ |
| expend /ɪkˈspend/ | expand /ɪkˈspænd/ |
| kettle /ˈket.əl/ | cattle /ˈkæt.əl/ |
| letter /ˈlet.ə/ | latter /ˈlæt.ə/ |
| mental /ˈmen.təl/ | mantle /ˈmæn.təl/ |
| peddle /ˈped.əl/ | paddle /ˈpæd.əl/ |
| perish /ˈper.ɪʃ/ | parish /ˈpær.ɪʃ/ |
| temper /ˈtem.pə/ | tamper /ˈtæm.pə/ |
| vessel /ˈves.əl/ | vassal /ˈvæs.əl/ |
| lettuce /ˈlet.ɪs/ | lattice /ˈlæt.ɪs/ |
| mention /ˈmen.ʃən/ | mansion /ˈmæn.ʃən/ |
Questions Students Ask
What are minimal pairs for /e/ and /æ/?
Word pairs that differ only in /e/ and /æ/ in the same position, such as ate and at. This page lists 44 of them.
Why practise minimal pairs?
Because the two words mean different things, a minimal pair proves that the two sounds are separate phonemes. Saying and hearing them side by side trains you to keep the sounds apart.
More Minimal Pairs
/p/ And /b/ (60)/t/ And /d/ (60)/k/ And /ɡ/ (60)/f/ And /v/ (34)/s/ And /z/ (33)/f/ And /p/ (60)/v/ And /b/ (22)/v/ And /w/ (15)/θ/ And /s/ (27)/θ/ And /t/ (27)/θ/ And /f/ (11)/ð/ And /d/ (17)/ð/ And /z/ (7)/s/ And /ʃ/ (49)/tʃ/ And /ʃ/ (27)/tʃ/ And /dʒ/ (9)/j/ And /dʒ/ (8)/l/ And /r/ (60)/m/ And /n/ (60)/n/ And /ŋ/ (12)/h/ And /f/ (42)/ɪ/ And /iː/ (60)/ɪ/ And /e/ (50)/e/ And /æ/ (44)/æ/ And /ʌ/ (60)/æ/ And /ɑː/ (22)/ʌ/ And /ɑː/ (25)/ɒ/ And /ʌ/ (35)/ɒ/ And /ɔː/ (12)/ɜː/ And /ɑː/ (21)/e/ And /eɪ/ (52)/əʊ/ And /ɔː/ (60)/aɪ/ And /eɪ/ (60)/ɪə/ And /eə/ (28)