/ð/ vs /z/ minimal pairs
/ð/ is a voiced dental fricative; /z/ is a voiced alveolar fricative. Phoneme has 4 word pairs to practice this contrast, each with native-speaker audio.
| /ð/ | /z/ |
|---|---|
| seethe | seize |
| bathe | bays |
| loathe | lows |
| breathe | breeze |
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.