Minimal Pairs /v/ And /b/ (Vest And Best)
23 pairs of words that differ only in /v/ and /b/. /v/ is a voiced labio-dental fricative and /b/ is a voiced bilabial plosive. They differ in place of articulation and manner of articulation.
| With /v/ | With /b/ |
|---|---|
| vet /vet/ | bet /bet/ |
| rove /rəʊv/ | robe /rəʊb/ |
| veer /vɪə/ | beer /bɪə/ |
| veil /veɪl/ | bail /beɪl/ |
| vend /vend/ | bend /bend/ |
| very /ˈver.i/ | bury /ˈber.i/ |
| vest /vest/ | best /best/ |
| via /ˈvaɪ.ə/ | buyer /ˈbaɪ.ə/ |
| vote /vəʊt/ | boat /bəʊt/ |
| vow /vaʊ/ | bough /baʊ/ |
| curve /kɜːv/ | curb /kɜːb/ |
| very /ˈver.i/ | berry /ˈber.i/ |
| revel /ˈrev.əl/ | rebel /ˈreb.əl/ |
| vowel /ˈvaʊ.əl/ | bowel /ˈbaʊ.əl/ |
| gavel /ˈɡæv.əl/ | gabble /ˈɡæb.əl/ |
| hovel /ˈhɒv.əl/ | hobble /ˈhɒb.əl/ |
| novel /ˈnɒv.əl/ | nobble /ˈnɒb.əl/ |
| savour /ˈseɪ.və/ | sabre /ˈseɪ.bə/ |
| vicar /ˈvɪk.ə/ | bicker /ˈbɪk.ə/ |
| marvel /ˈmɑː.vəl/ | marble /ˈmɑː.bəl/ |
| vanish /ˈvæn.ɪʃ/ | banish /ˈbæn.ɪʃ/ |
| verbal /ˈvɜː.bəl/ | burble /ˈbɜː.bəl/ |
| vigour /ˈvɪɡ.ə/ | bigger /ˈbɪɡ.ə/ |
Questions Students Ask
What are minimal pairs for /v/ and /b/?
Word pairs that differ only in /v/ and /b/ in the same position, such as vet and bet. This page lists 23 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)