Meaning & use
minimal pairs
Last updated
Meaning
nounpluralspecialist
Pairs of words that differ in only one sound, used to show a difference in meaning.
Grammar: Always plural; a single pair is called a minimal pair.
Patterns
- a minimal pair of something
- minimal pairs in something
In English, 'ship' and 'sheep' are a famous minimal pair.
The teacher asked us to find minimal pairs to practice the difference between /ɪ/ and /iː/.
Linguists use minimal pairs to identify phonemes in a language.
Word forms
| singular | minimal pair |
|---|
Common combinations
- a set of minimal pairs
- The textbook provides a set of minimal pairs for vowel practice.
- find minimal pairs
- Can you find minimal pairs for the sounds /p/ and /b/?
- minimal pair test
- The minimal pair test helps distinguish similar sounds.
Word family
Commonly confused: minimal pairs or minimalism?
minimal pairs vs minimalism
Minimalism is a style or movement (in art, music, etc.); minimal pairs is a linguistics term.
Practice
Which of these is a minimal pair?
Choose one answer.
'Bit' and 'beat' differ only in the vowel sound /ɪ/ vs /iː/, making them a minimal pair. 'Cat' and 'dog' differ in all sounds and meaning; 'run' and 'running' differ in form; 'happy' and 'sad' are opposites, not minimal pairs.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “minimal pairs”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.