/ʊ/ vs /u/ minimal pairs
/ʊ/ is a short, lax back vowel; /u/ is a long, tense back vowel. Phoneme has 6 word pairs to practice this contrast, each with native-speaker audio.
| /ʊ/ | /u/ |
|---|---|
| pull | pool |
| full | fool |
| book | boot |
| foot | food |
| soot | suit |
| could | cooed |
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.