CALL-CMRIT

A Minimal Pair is a pair of words that: a) have the same number of sounds b) differ by only one sound, and c) differ in meaning. Moreover, the differing sounds must: a) be in the same position and b) belong to the same category—either both must be consonants or both must be vowels. Look at the following examples: a) /pɪn/ /tʃɪn/ b) /pɪn/ /p eɪ n/ c) /pɪn/ /pɪt/ As you can see in the above examples, each word in the pair has the same number of sounds , differs  from the other  by only one sound  and differs from the other in meaning . Moreover, the differing sounds are in the same position and belong to the same category . Now observe these pairs: a)  /peɪn/ /pleɪn/ b) /ɒpt/ /hɒt/ c) /sɪts/ /sɪti/ d) /liːv/ /laɪf/ Can you say that these are minimal pairs?

The regular Past Tense in English is realised in three different ways: 1. If the verb root ends in a voiceless sound (other than /t/), it is realised as [t]. Example: booked /bʊkt/ 2. If the verb root ends in a voiced sound (other than /d/), it is realised as [d]. Example: robbed /rɒbd/ 3. If the verb root ends in /t/ or /d/, it is realised as [ɪd]. Example: hunted /ˈhʌn.tɪd/ The regular Plural Marker in English is realised in three different ways: 1. If a noun root ends in a voiceless sound (other than /s/, /ʃ/ and /tʃ/), the plural marker is realised as [s]. Example: cats /kæts/. 2. If a noun root ends in a voiced sound (other than /z/, /ʒ/ and /dʒ/), the plural marker is realised as [z]. Example: dogs /dɒɡz/. 3. If a noun root ends in /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /tʃ/ or /dʒ/, the plural marker is realised as [ɪz]. Examples: houses / ˈ haʊ.sɪz/, phrases / ˈ freɪ.zɪz/, brushes / ˈ brʌʃ.ɪz/, garages / ˈ ɡær.ɑː.ʒɪz/, benches / ˈ ben.tʃɪz/, judges / ˈ dʒʌdʒ.ɪz/. The Simple Present Tense in Engli...

Click here Source: A Textbook of English Phonetics for Indian Students by T. Balasubramanian

Consonants and Vowels