Minimal Pairs

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/ /peɪn/

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?