Minimal Pairs /ɪ/ And /e/ (Bit And Bet)
50 pairs of words that differ only in /ɪ/ and /e/. /ɪ/ is a front half-close unrounded vowel and /e/ is a front half-open unrounded vowel.
| With /ɪ/ | With /e/ |
|---|---|
| it /ɪt/ | ate /et/ |
| bid /bɪd/ | bed /bed/ |
| big /bɪɡ/ | beg /beɡ/ |
| bit /bɪt/ | bet /bet/ |
| gym /dʒɪm/ | gem /dʒem/ |
| lit /lɪt/ | let /let/ |
| pin /pɪn/ | pen /pen/ |
| pit /pɪt/ | pet /pet/ |
| rid /rɪd/ | red /red/ |
| sit /sɪt/ | set /set/ |
| six /sɪks/ | sex /seks/ |
| tin /tɪn/ | ten /ten/ |
| did /dɪd/ | dead /ded/ |
| knit /nɪt/ | net /net/ |
| win /wɪn/ | when /wen/ |
| bill /bɪl/ | bell /bel/ |
| disc /dɪsk/ | desk /desk/ |
| disk /dɪsk/ | desk /desk/ |
| fill /fɪl/ | fell /fel/ |
| hill /hɪl/ | hell /hel/ |
| lift /lɪft/ | left /left/ |
| lint /lɪnt/ | lent /lent/ |
| list /lɪst/ | lest /lest/ |
| miss /mɪs/ | mess /mes/ |
| nick /nɪk/ | neck /nek/ |
| pick /pɪk/ | peck /pek/ |
| till /tɪl/ | tell /tel/ |
| will /wɪl/ | well /wel/ |
| built /bɪlt/ | belt /belt/ |
| rich /rɪtʃ/ | retch /retʃ/ |
| wrist /rɪst/ | rest /rest/ |
| rich /rɪtʃ/ | wretch /retʃ/ |
| since /sɪns/ | sense /sens/ |
| spill /spɪl/ | spell /spel/ |
| wrist /rɪst/ | wrest /rest/ |
| below /bɪˈləʊ/ | bellow /ˈbel.əʊ/ |
| middle /ˈmɪd.əl/ | medal /ˈmed.əl/ |
| piddle /ˈpɪd.əl/ | pedal /ˈped.əl/ |
| bigger /ˈbɪɡ.ə/ | beggar /ˈbeɡ.ə/ |
| billow /ˈbɪl.əʊ/ | bellow /ˈbel.əʊ/ |
| bitter /ˈbɪt.ə/ | better /ˈbet.ə/ |
| listen /ˈlɪs.ən/ | lessen /ˈles.ən/ |
| listen /ˈlɪs.ən/ | lesson /ˈles.ən/ |
| litter /ˈlɪt.ə/ | letter /ˈlet.ə/ |
| middle /ˈmɪd.əl/ | meddle /ˈmed.əl/ |
| piddle /ˈpɪd.əl/ | peddle /ˈped.əl/ |
| wither /ˈwɪð.ə/ | weather /ˈweð.ə/ |
| wither /ˈwɪð.ə/ | whether /ˈweð.ə/ |
| immigrate /ˈɪm.ɪ.ɡreɪt/ | emigrate /ˈem.ɪ.ɡreɪt/ |
| immigration /ˌɪm.ɪˈɡreɪ.ʃən/ | emigration /ˌem.ɪˈɡreɪ.ʃən/ |
Questions Students Ask
What are minimal pairs for /ɪ/ and /e/?
Word pairs that differ only in /ɪ/ and /e/ in the same position, such as it and ate. This page lists 50 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)