Minimal Pairs /ɒ/ And /ʌ/ (Cot And Cut)
36 pairs of words that differ only in /ɒ/ and /ʌ/. /ɒ/ is a back open rounded vowel and /ʌ/ is a central open unrounded vowel.
| With /ɒ/ | With /ʌ/ |
|---|---|
| cop /kɒp/ | cup /kʌp/ |
| dog /dɒɡ/ | dug /dʌɡ/ |
| hot /hɒt/ | hut /hʌt/ |
| jog /dʒɒɡ/ | jug /dʒʌɡ/ |
| not /nɒt/ | nut /nʌt/ |
| rob /rɒb/ | rub /rʌb/ |
| rot /rɒt/ | rut /rʌt/ |
| sob /sɒb/ | sub /sʌb/ |
| boss /bɒs/ | bus /bʌs/ |
| gone /ɡɒn/ | gun /ɡʌn/ |
| knot /nɒt/ | nut /nʌt/ |
| dock /dɒk/ | duck /dʌk/ |
| doll /dɒl/ | dull /dʌl/ |
| fond /fɒnd/ | fund /fʌnd/ |
| golf /ɡɒlf/ | gulf /ɡʌlf/ |
| lock /lɒk/ | luck /lʌk/ |
| long /lɒŋ/ | lung /lʌŋ/ |
| mock /mɒk/ | muck /mʌk/ |
| onto /ˈɒn.tuː/ | unto /ˈʌn.tuː/ |
| pock /pɒk/ | puck /pʌk/ |
| pomp /pɒmp/ | pump /pʌmp/ |
| shot /ʃɒt/ | shut /ʃʌt/ |
| sock /sɒk/ | suck /sʌk/ |
| song /sɒŋ/ | sung /sʌŋ/ |
| wrong /rɒŋ/ | rung /rʌŋ/ |
| mosque /mɒsk/ | musk /mʌsk/ |
| otter /ˈɒt.ə/ | utter /ˈʌt.ə/ |
| slosh /slɒʃ/ | slush /slʌʃ/ |
| stomp /stɒmp/ | stump /stʌmp/ |
| wrong /rɒŋ/ | wrung /rʌŋ/ |
| model /ˈmɒd.əl/ | muddle /ˈmʌd.əl/ |
| bomber /ˈbɒm.ə/ | bummer /ˈbʌm.ə/ |
| borrow /ˈbɒr.əʊ/ | burrow /ˈbʌr.əʊ/ |
| collar /ˈkɒl.ə/ | colour /ˈkʌl.ə/ |
| robber /ˈrɒb.ə/ | rubber /ˈrʌb.ə/ |
| wander /ˈwɒn.də/ | wonder /ˈwʌn.də/ |
Questions Students Ask
What are minimal pairs for /ɒ/ and /ʌ/?
Word pairs that differ only in /ɒ/ and /ʌ/ in the same position, such as cop and cup. This page lists 36 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)