Minimal Pairs /æ/ And /ʌ/ (Cat And Cut)
60 pairs of words that differ only in /æ/ and /ʌ/. /æ/ is a front open unrounded vowel and /ʌ/ is a central open unrounded vowel.
| With /æ/ | With /ʌ/ |
|---|---|
| ass /æs/ | us /ʌs/ |
| bad /bæd/ | bud /bʌd/ |
| bat /bæt/ | but /bʌt/ |
| cap /kæp/ | cup /kʌp/ |
| cat /kæt/ | cut /kʌt/ |
| fan /fæn/ | fun /fʌn/ |
| hat /hæt/ | hut /hʌt/ |
| mad /mæd/ | mud /mʌd/ |
| pan /pæn/ | pun /pʌn/ |
| rag /ræɡ/ | rug /rʌɡ/ |
| ran /ræn/ | run /rʌn/ |
| rat /ræt/ | rut /rʌt/ |
| gnat /næt/ | nut /nʌt/ |
| mat /mæt/ | mutt /mʌt/ |
| back /bæk/ | buck /bʌk/ |
| bank /bæŋk/ | bunk /bʌŋk/ |
| damn /dæm/ | dumb /dʌm/ |
| damp /dæmp/ | dump /dʌmp/ |
| drag /dræɡ/ | drug /drʌɡ/ |
| gash /ɡæʃ/ | gush /ɡʌʃ/ |
| lack /læk/ | luck /lʌk/ |
| lamp /læmp/ | lump /lʌmp/ |
| lash /læʃ/ | lush /lʌʃ/ |
| mash /mæʃ/ | mush /mʌʃ/ |
| pack /pæk/ | puck /pʌk/ |
| pant /pænt/ | punt /pʌnt/ |
| rang /ræŋ/ | rung /rʌŋ/ |
| rash /ræʃ/ | rush /rʌʃ/ |
| sack /sæk/ | suck /sʌk/ |
| sang /sæŋ/ | sung /sʌŋ/ |
| swam /swæm/ | swum /swʌm/ |
| match /mætʃ/ | much /mʌtʃ/ |
| rang /ræŋ/ | wrung /rʌŋ/ |
| ankle /ˈæŋ.kəl/ | uncle /ˈʌŋ.kəl/ |
| badge /bædʒ/ | budge /bʌdʒ/ |
| began /bɪˈɡæn/ | begun /bɪˈɡʌn/ |
| brash /bræʃ/ | brush /brʌʃ/ |
| carry /ˈkær.i/ | curry /ˈkʌr.i/ |
| crash /kræʃ/ | crush /krʌʃ/ |
| drank /dræŋk/ | drunk /drʌŋk/ |
| flash /flæʃ/ | flush /flʌʃ/ |
| hatch /hætʃ/ | hutch /hʌtʃ/ |
| slash /slæʃ/ | slush /slʌʃ/ |
| stamp /stæmp/ | stump /stʌmp/ |
| track /træk/ | truck /trʌk/ |
| plaque /plæk/ | pluck /plʌk/ |
| babble /ˈbæb.əl/ | bubble /ˈbʌb.əl/ |
| banker /ˈbæŋ.kə/ | bunker /ˈbʌŋ.kə/ |
| barrow /ˈbær.əʊ/ | burrow /ˈbʌr.əʊ/ |
| dabble /ˈdæb.əl/ | double /ˈdʌb.əl/ |
| hassle /ˈhæs.əl/ | hustle /ˈhʌs.əl/ |
| jangle /ˈdʒæŋ.ɡəl/ | jungle /ˈdʒʌŋ.ɡəl/ |
| matter /ˈmæt.ə/ | mutter /ˈmʌt.ə/ |
| paddle /ˈpæd.əl/ | puddle /ˈpʌd.əl/ |
| rabble /ˈræb.əl/ | rubble /ˈrʌb.əl/ |
| raffle /ˈræf.əl/ | ruffle /ˈrʌf.əl/ |
| ragged /ˈræɡ.ɪd/ | rugged /ˈrʌɡ.ɪd/ |
| sadden /ˈsæd.ən/ | sudden /ˈsʌd.ən/ |
| salmon /ˈsæm.ən/ | summon /ˈsʌm.ən/ |
| tassel /ˈtæs.əl/ | tussle /ˈtʌs.əl/ |
Questions Students Ask
What are minimal pairs for /æ/ and /ʌ/?
Word pairs that differ only in /æ/ and /ʌ/ in the same position, such as ass and us. This page lists 60 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)