Examples of Minimal Pairs in English

Minimal Pair Speech Therapy. Does it sound something new to you? Well yes. Before getting to know about the entire list of minimal pair words we should know what does it mean and how to apply them in English teaching. 

Basically, minimal speech therapy refers to a small pair of words. There is a difference between a simple pair of words and minimal speech therapy words are the use of phoneme. It will make it easier for kids to read and learn with proper pronunciation. Even if they have to read some complicated kids can break the words into simple pairs and then learn to pronounce. 

There are many minimal pairs to choose from here for phonological therapy. it is recommended to start with teaching as few as 3 to 5 minimal pairs in order for students to show spontaneous generalisation to other words containing the target sounds.

Minimal Pairs List for Speech Therapy

Following is a set of different minimal pair word lists for speech pathology / speech therapy (SP/ST) to help children with speech sound disorders.

1. b and p, p and b, t and p

2. d and p, b and t

3. p and t, t and b

4. t and b, d and b, b and d

5. b and d, p and d

6. b and c, b and k, b and g

7. b and g, b and f

8. b and v, b and s

9. b and s, p and s

10. b and s, b and h

11. b and h, b and j

12. b and j, d and r, d and w

14. d and o, d and y, t and w

14. t and w, p and w

The minimal pairs are useful for both English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching and learning purposes.

Deaffrication Minimal Pairs

Deaffrication is one of several types from sound changing classification. The difference form in deaffrication itself occurs the elimination of stop from the affricate sound. So, it will form a fricative sound. In conclusion, deaffrication is an affricative that turns into a fricative.

Read more: Fricative and Affricate Consonant Sounds

Below is the examples for deaffrication minimal pairs, that occurs when an affricate is replaced with a fricative:

1. /?/ to /?/

2. /?/ to /?/

And there is also the case that when a stop have a role in an affricative form, below are the examples. 

3. /?/ to /d/ 

4. /?/ to /g/

5. /?/ to /d/

6. /?/ to /t/ – beginning

7. /?/ to /t/

Keep exploring EnglishBix for more quality resources on linguistics and speech therapy.

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