/p/ vs /b/ minimal pairs
/p/ and /b/ are both bilabial stop sounds — the only difference is voicing: your vocal cords vibrate for /b/ but not for /p/. Phoneme has 8 word pairs to practice this contrast, each with native-speaker audio.
| /p/ | /b/ |
|---|---|
| pan | ban |
| pit | bit |
| cap | cab |
| pin | bin |
| pet | bet |
| rip | rib |
| cup | cub |
| lap | lab |
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.