Minimal Pairs /æ/ And /ɑː/ (Cat And Cart)
22 pairs of words that differ only in /æ/ and /ɑː/. /æ/ is a front open unrounded vowel and /ɑː/ is a back open unrounded vowel.
| With /æ/ | With /ɑː/ |
|---|---|
| am /æm/ | arm /ɑːm/ |
| at /æt/ | art /ɑːt/ |
| cat /kæt/ | cart /kɑːt/ |
| had /hæd/ | hard /hɑːd/ |
| ham /hæm/ | harm /hɑːm/ |
| back /bæk/ | bark /bɑːk/ |
| hack /hæk/ | hark /hɑːk/ |
| hat /hæt/ | heart /hɑːt/ |
| pack /pæk/ | park /pɑːk/ |
| ant /ænt/ | aren't /ɑːnt/ |
| have /hæv/ | halve /hɑːv/ |
| mash /mæʃ/ | marsh /mɑːʃ/ |
| aunt /ænt/ | aren't /ɑːnt/ |
| badge /bædʒ/ | barge /bɑːdʒ/ |
| match /mætʃ/ | march /mɑːtʃ/ |
| patch /pætʃ/ | parch /pɑːtʃ/ |
| pasta /ˈpæs.tə/ | pastor /ˈpɑː.stə/ |
| gabble /ˈɡæb.əl/ | garble /ˈɡɑː.bəl/ |
| gaggle /ˈɡæɡ.əl/ | gargle /ˈɡɑː.ɡəl/ |
| matter /ˈmæt.ə/ | martyr /ˈmɑː.tə/ |
| vanish /ˈvæn.ɪʃ/ | varnish /ˈvɑː.nɪʃ/ |
| chatter /ˈtʃæt.ə/ | charter /ˈtʃɑː.tə/ |
Questions Students Ask
What are minimal pairs for /æ/ and /ɑː/?
Word pairs that differ only in /æ/ and /ɑː/ in the same position, such as am and arm. This page lists 22 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/ (23)/v/ And /w/ (15)/θ/ And /s/ (28)/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/ (51)/e/ And /æ/ (44)/æ/ And /ʌ/ (60)/æ/ And /ɑː/ (22)/ʌ/ And /ɑː/ (25)/ɒ/ And /ʌ/ (36)/ɒ/ And /ɔː/ (12)/ɜː/ And /ɑː/ (22)/e/ And /eɪ/ (52)/əʊ/ And /ɔː/ (60)/aɪ/ And /eɪ/ (60)/ɪə/ And /eə/ (28)