/æ/ vs /ə/ minimal pairs
/æ/ is a low front vowel; /ə/ is a mid central vowel. Phoneme has 8 word pairs to practice this contrast, each with native-speaker audio.
| /æ/ | /ə/ |
|---|---|
| cap | cup |
| lack | luck |
| cat | cut |
| hat | hut |
| tan | ton |
| bag | bug |
| pan | pun |
| bat | but |
How to teach this contrast
- Listen and point. Play each word and have learners point to or repeat the symbol they hear.
- Say and check. Learners say one word from a pair; a partner (or you) identifies which one.
- Drill it. Use Phoneme's Train mode minimal-pair drill for randomized, self-checking practice.