/ɝ/ vs /ɑr/ minimal pairs
/ɝ/ is a mid central rhotic vowel; /ɑr/ is a . Phoneme has 7 word pairs to practice this contrast, each with native-speaker audio.
| /ɝ/ | /ɑr/ |
|---|---|
| bird | bard |
| burn | barn |
| fur | far |
| hurt | heart |
| firm | farm |
| stir | star |
| perk | park |
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.