/i/ vs /ɪ/ minimal pairs
/i/ is a long, tense front vowel; /ɪ/ is a short, lax front vowel. Phoneme has 8 word pairs to practice this contrast, each with native-speaker audio.
| /i/ | /ɪ/ |
|---|---|
| sheep | ship |
| seat | sit |
| heat | hit |
| feet | fit |
| beat | bit |
| feel | fill |
| peel | pill |
| week | wick |
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.