/v/ vs /w/ minimal pairs
/v/ is a voiced labiodental fricative; /w/ is a voiced labio-velar approximant. Phoneme has 7 word pairs to practice this contrast, each with native-speaker audio.
| /v/ | /w/ |
|---|---|
| vine | wine |
| vet | wet |
| vest | west |
| veil | wail |
| vow | wow |
| vale | whale |
| vane | wane |
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.