Minimal Pairs /θ/ And /f/ (Three And Free)
11 pairs of words that differ only in /θ/ and /f/. /θ/ is a voiceless dental fricative and /f/ is a voiceless labio-dental fricative. They differ in place of articulation.
| With /θ/ | With /f/ |
|---|---|
| thaw /θɔː/ | for /fɔː/ |
| thaw /θɔː/ | four /fɔː/ |
| death /deθ/ | deaf /def/ |
| three /θriː/ | free /friː/ |
| hearth /hɑːθ/ | half /hɑːf/ |
| threat /θret/ | fret /fret/ |
| wreath /riːθ/ | reef /riːf/ |
| thirst /θɜːst/ | first /fɜːst/ |
| thought /θɔːt/ | fort /fɔːt/ |
| thrill /θrɪl/ | frill /frɪl/ |
| thought /θɔːt/ | fought /fɔːt/ |
Questions Students Ask
What are minimal pairs for /θ/ and /f/?
Word pairs that differ only in /θ/ and /f/ in the same position, such as thaw and for. This page lists 11 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)