Minimal Pairs /ɒ/ And /ɔː/ (Cot And Caught)
12 pairs of words that differ only in /ɒ/ and /ɔː/. /ɒ/ is a back open rounded vowel and /ɔː/ is a back half-open rounded vowel.
| With /ɒ/ | With /ɔː/ |
|---|---|
| pot /pɒt/ | port /pɔːt/ |
| hock /hɒk/ | hawk /hɔːk/ |
| pock /pɒk/ | pork /pɔːk/ |
| not /nɒt/ | nought /nɔːt/ |
| shot /ʃɒt/ | short /ʃɔːt/ |
| spot /spɒt/ | sport /spɔːt/ |
| knot /nɒt/ | nought /nɔːt/ |
| rot /rɒt/ | wrought /rɔːt/ |
| stock /stɒk/ | stalk /stɔːk/ |
| often /ˈɒf.ən/ | orphan /ˈɔː.fən/ |
| mottle /ˈmɒt.əl/ | mortal /ˈmɔː.təl/ |
| wobble /ˈwɒb.əl/ | warble /ˈwɔː.bəl/ |
Questions Students Ask
What are minimal pairs for /ɒ/ and /ɔː/?
Word pairs that differ only in /ɒ/ and /ɔː/ in the same position, such as pot and port. This page lists 12 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)