/d/ vs /ð/ minimal pairs
/d/ is a voiced alveolar stop; /ð/ is a voiced dental fricative. Phoneme has 8 word pairs to practice this contrast, each with native-speaker audio.
| /d/ | /ð/ |
|---|---|
| day | they |
| den | then |
| dare | there |
| dough | though |
| dose | those |
| seed | seethe |
| load | loathe |
| breed | breathe |
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.