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Freebies
Index
...and a few words from Caroline... and others
MINIMAL PAIRS, LISTENING LISTS, AND MORE
for articulation and phonological therapy
When you have looked at the words below (and helped yourself, if you
like!) here are links to a few words from John in Shaftesbury, Dorset,
Freida in Albury, NSW, Australia, and Peter at Idaho State University at
Pocatello. For the budget conscious, Alan, Gillian and Helen at Black
Sheep Press in the North of England have an extensive range of pictures of
minimal word pairs in their photocopy free materials and worksheets.
IN THE FOLLOWING LISTS:
English spelling is used
The feature contrasts reflect Australian English pronunciation
SIWI = syllable initial word initial
SFWF = syllable final word final (see footnote)
MINIMAL PAIRS singletons
Stops vs. Affricates
SIWI
tear - chair
tease - cheese
tin - chin
top - chop
talk - chalk
ticks - chicks
tiled - child
tip - chip
tips - chips
tore - chore
two - chew PICTURES: here
Fricatives vs. Affricates
SIWI
sore - chore
sum - chum
sip - chip
sick - chick
sat - chat
Sue - chew
silly - chilly
soak - choke
suck - chuck
sill - chill
search - church
Stops vs. Fricatives and
Affricates SFWF
rat - rash
Voiced vs. Voiceless Alveolar
Stops SIWI /d/vs. /t/
deer tear
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rat - rash
out - ouch
write - rice
cat - catch
late - lace
hut - hush
mat - match
road - rose
head - hedge
hit - hiss
coat - coachPICTURES: here
deer tear
die tie
din tin
doll toll
door tore
doze toes
dent tent
dead Ted
dim TimPICTURES: here
Voiced vs. Voiceless Affricates
SIWI
jeer cheer
joke choke
jeep cheap
Jane chain
jaw chore
jump chump
jest chest
gin chin
Jess chess
Voiceless Velars
vs. Alveolars SIWI: /k/ vs /t/
car tar
core tore
cape tape
cub tub
cool tool
cap tap
key tea
call tall
corn tornPICTURES: here
Voiceled Velars
vs. Alveolars SIWI: /g/ vs /d/
gaze daze (days)
gig dig
go doe (dough)
game dame
gust dust
gum dumb
gash dash
grip drip
grab drab
groan drone
gate date
got dot
Guy die (dye)
guide diedPICTURES: here
Fricative Contrasts (triplets)
sort fort short
sore four shore
sign fine shine
sell fell shell
seat feet sheetPICTURES: here
Final Consonant Inclusion
tea team
tie tide
hoe hope
play plane
car calf
pea peep
shoe shoot
low loadPICTURES: here
Final Consonant Inclusion
high hide
see seat
shoe shoot
she sheep
cow couch
sore sort
sea seed
say savePICTURES: here
Final Consonant Inclusion
buy bike
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buy bike
sew soap
ow! out
bee beach
pie pile
row road
moo move
car cardPICTURES: here
Initial Glottal Inclusion: /h/
"A" hay
"E" he
"I" high
"O" hoe
("U" who - yoo-hoo)
eye high
air hair
old hold
eel heel
art heart
edge hedgePICTURES: here
Initial Fricative Inclusion: /f/
arm farm
eel feel
in fin
air fair
oar four
ace face
eat feet
ill fill
oh foe
ox fox
ale failPICTURES: here
Initial Velar Inclusion: /k/
"R" car
art cart
ache cake
oar core
ape cape
air care
old cold
aim came
ill kill
arm calm
off coughPICTURES: here
Init Consonant Inclusion 'sh'
shower hour
share air
shy eye
shake ache
shape ape
shawl all
shell "L
shout outPICTURES: here
Initial Consonant
Inclusion /s/
seal eel
sell "L"
seat eat
sad add
soak oak
sold old
saw oar
soil oil
sour hourPICTURES: here
Initial Alveolar Inclusion
/t/
in tin
eye tie
ache take
aim tame
air tear
ape tape
old told
art tartPICTURES: here
Initial Consonant
Inclusion
us bus
ape tape
out shout
eye pie
eel peel
Glottal Fric vs. Alveolar
Stop SIWI /h/ vs. /t/
hop top
hall tall
horn torn
high tie
hose toes
2/23/2011 ...and a few WORDS from Caroline...and …
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eel peel
air chair
ache take
old foldPICTURES: here
hose toes
hair tear
hen ten
hot totPICTURES: here
Glottal vs. Labio-dental Fricative
SIWI: /h/ vs. /f/
hat fat
hit fit
hold fold
hive five
hall fall
horse force
hall fall
heel feel
hole foal
hairy fairyPICTURES: here
Glottal vs. Palato-alveolar
Fricative SIWI
hall shawl
head shed
horn Sean
horn Shawn
harp sharp
hop shop
hook shook
high shy
hut shut
heap sheep
hoe show
hair share
heat sheet
hip shipPICTURES: here
Glottal vs. alveolar Fricative
SIWI: /h/ vs /s/
sauce horse
soup hoop
sold hold
side hide
sit hit
sand hand
suit hoot
sole hole
soap hope
seat heat
sip hip
seal heelPICTURES: here
Liquid vs. Fricative SIWI
/l/ vs /s/
line sign
low sew
lock sock
long song
lick sick
lip sip
lend send
lift sift
lead seed
look sook
Liquids vs. Glides SIWI
/r/ vs. /w/
one run
wig rig
wing ring
wok rock
whale rail
wake rake
weed read
witch rich
wave rave
west rest PICTURES: here
Fricatives vs. Glides SIWI
/f/ vs. /w/
feel wheel
fig wig
fight white
fork walk
fall wall
fish wish
feel wheel
full wool
fail whale
fade wade
Fricatives vs. Glides SIWI
/v/ vs. /w/
vest west
Palato-alveolar Fricative vs.
Affricates SFWF
mash match
dish ditch
2/23/2011 ...and a few WORDS from Caroline...and …
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vest west
veil whale
vine wine
vet wet
volley Wally
veal wheel
Vic wick
dish ditch
wish witch
wash watch
cash catch
hush hutch
crush crutch
marsh marchPICTURES: here
Palato-alveolar Fricative vs.
Affricates SIWI
shops chops
shoes choose
ships chips
share chair
Shane chain
shin chin
sheep cheep
shock chockPICTURES: here
Liquids vs. Alveolars SIWI:
/l/ vs. /d/
lots dots
log dog
lazy daisy
leap deep
love dove
Nasals vs. Liquids SIWI
/n/ vs. /l/
knead lead
nip lip
night light
name lame
knock lock
neigh lay
no low
nine line
knot lot
nap lap PICTURES: here
Labio-dental Fricatives vs. Stops
SIWI: /f/ vs /d/
file dial
fish dish
fan Dan
four door
five dive
foam dome
fig dig
Alveolar vs. Palato-alveolar
Fricatives SIWI
suit shoot
sock shock
sore shore
sip ship
sack shack
sour shower
seat sheet
Sue shoePICTURES: here
Alveolar vs. Labio-dental
Fricatives SIWI: /s/ vs. /f/
sold fold
sauce force
sort fort
six fix
sit fit
sole foal
cell fell
sole foal
sore fourPICTURES: here
Alveolar vs. Labio-dental
Fricatives SIWI: /s/ vs. /f/
sun fun
seed feed
sound found
seat feet
seal feel
socks fox
/n/ vs. 'sh' SIWI
gnaw shore
knee she
nip ship
nine shine
neat sheet
nut shut
no show
2/23/2011 ...and a few WORDS from Caroline...and …
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socks fox
saw four
sunny funny
sat fat
sign finePICTURES: here
no show
knock shock
/w/ vs. /l/ SIWI
wok lock
wine line
weed lead
white light
week leek
weigh lay
wet let
wick lick PICTURES: here
/w/ vs. /l/ SIWI
why lie
wake lake
wait late
weep leap
wink link
Wally lollyPICTURES: here
Alveolar vs. Palato-alveolar
Fricatives SIWI
sign shine
sew show
sip ship
saw shore
sock shockPICTURES: here
/n/ vs. /s/
SIWI
gnaw saw
nine sign
nails sails
kneel seal
neat seat
nip sip
knock sock
no sew
/n/ vs. 'ng'
SFWF
Ron wrong
pin Ping
win wing
thin thin
'th' vs. /f/ SIWI
thin fin
thaw four
thought fort
thread Fred
thorn fawn
three free
thirst first
/v/ vs. /b/ SIWI
vase bars
vest best
vat bat
V B (Vee-Bee)
vote boat
van ban
vow bow
very berry
/l/ vs. /j/ SIWI
lawn yawn
Lou you
lap yap
less yes
lucky yucky
luck yuckPICTURES: here
NEAR MINIMAL PAIRS
singleton vs. cluster
2/23/2011 ...and a few WORDS from Caroline...and …
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/p/ vs. /sp/
pie spy
peach speech
pot spot
pit spit
pin spin
pill spill
/s/ vs. /sl/
leap sleep
lip slip
low slow
/s/ vs. /sk/
sails scales
sip skip
see ski
sore score
/s/ vs. /st/
sick stick
sack stack
seal steal
soup stoop
/t/ vs. /st/ SIWI
take stake
talk stork
tar star
tack stack
top stop
tool stool
tick stick
/t/ vs. /st/ SFWF
beat Beast
Bert burst
wet west
coat coast
goat ghost
wait waist
net nest
pet pest
feet feast
vet vest
/w/ vs. /sw/
wing swing
weep sweep
well swell
wheat sweet
witch switch
/k/ vs. /sk/
key ski
cat scat
car scar
core score
cool school
/n/ vs. /sn/
nail snail
knees sneeze
no snow
nought Snort
nap snap
/m/ vs. /sm/
Mog smog
mash smash
mall small
mile smile
Mac smack
/l/ Clusters
low glow
lip flip
lap clap
loud cloud
lock block
leap sleep
lean clean
lime climb
low blow
love glove
/r/ vs. /tr/
rash trash
ray tray
rim trim
rain train
rack track
Rick trick
/r/ Clusters
root fruit /sk/ vs. /st/
2/23/2011 ...and a few WORDS from Caroline...and …
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root fruit
rat brat
red bread
rip drip
rain train
row throw
/sk/ vs. /st/
scoop stoop
school stool
scout stout
score store
sky sty
skate state
skill still
scamp stamp
MINIMAL PAIRS voicing contrasts PICTURES: here
/k/ vs. /g/ SIWI
cap gap
gate Kate
game came
gum come
coat goat
coast ghost
cot got
/d/ vs. /t/ SFWF
cord caught
Bert bird
wade wait
wed wet
bad bat
bead beat
write ride
sat sad
sort sword
hid hit
pot pod
feet feed
wrote road
wheat weed
/k/ vs. /g/ SFWF
peck peg
buck bug
pick pig
lock log
back bag
stack stag
tack tag
/p/ vs. /b/ SFWF
cup cub
nip nib
cap cab
lap lab
rope robe
Voicing SFWF
peach beach
town down
fan van
pole bowl
peas bees
buy pie
bear pear
sip zip
pig big
tore door
CLUSTERS SIWI /skr/ SIWI
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/skr/ SIWI
scream screen scratch scrub screw
/str/ SIWI
stream string strawberries strum streetlight street strong straight struggle
stretch strict strain stripes
/kr/ SIWI
crash crawl crutches crab cry crayon crane crack crumb cross crew crow
crowd crown
/gr/ SIWI
green grass greet grapes grouch grow Grover great grin grill
/tr/ SIWI
triangle track trash tractor train treasure trick trumpet tree trolley truck trap
trio tray trim trophy
/dr/ SIWI
dream draw drive drum dragon dress drop drill drip drink
/br/ SIWI
Bradley Bruce Brett Brendan Brian bricks brown bronco branch bright
bread broken broom bride branches break breaking Bryony Brenda Briane
Bronnie Brianna
/sp/ SIWI
speech spill spit space spade spark Spice Girls spot sponge spud spoon
spider Spiderman spine spire spy
/st/ SIWI
steam stick stay stairs steps stag star stop stamp stone stork stoop sty
stir stool
/pr/ SIWI
prince princess pram prawn prune pretty proud price prize
/kl/ SIWI
clean Clag clock cloth clog club claw clothes clever close clown cloud
climb
/fl/ SIWI
fleece flea flip flake flame flag flat flash fly flock flute floor float flower
/sm/ SIWI
smell small smart smash smog smudge smoke smile
/sn/ SIWI
snail sneeze snip Sneeches snake snap snooze snow snore snort
Two "Cluster-Word" Lists
Consonant Cluster list
Clusters word final and within word
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VOWELS AND VOWEL CONTRASTS PICTURES: here
Vowel Contrasts 'er' vs. 'or'
bored bird / cord curd / Paul pearl / bought Bert / short shirt / torn turn /call
curl / lawn learn /walk work / warm worm / fawn fern / born burn / a bored
bird / a warm worm / a short shirt / a coarse curse
Regarding 'er'! In Australian English /r/ is not pronounced in pearl,
shirt, purse, etc.
pearl shirt purse purr bird burn burst term turn dirt curve girl fern fur third
thirst search serve sir shirt chirp church nurse nerd learn worm squirm
search hurt earth surf
Vowel Contrasts
cub cab / rush rash / cub cab /rush rash / truck track / bud bad / cut cat /
hut hat / mud mad / bug bag / cup cap / fun fan
Vowel Contrasts
duck - deck / bunch - bench / bug - beg / nut - net / money - many / bud -
bed
SINGLETONS SIWI
/p/ SIWI
pea peach peel peep pig pick pill Po pink paint paste pay peck peg pen
pest pet pan park poor pool post purr pie pile Piglet Pooh Percy
/b/ SIWI
bee beach bead bean beat big beak bin bear Barbie Barney Barney bell
'baby bird's balloon' 'baby bird' bed best back bus boot book ball bowl bone
bore bored Bobo bird bike buy bite Big Bird Babar but butt
bad bud beard bead bird bed
/t/ SIWI
teach tease team tent tick tin tip tail Ted tell tack tap top tape toe tie toll
talk torch tear tore tall town tight Tinky Winky Thomas Terence
/d/ SIWI
dig dip dish ditch Dipsy die deck duck doll dark dot desk door dome dirt
dial dice dive
/k/SIWI PICTURES: here
key king kiss cage Ken cake Kate case cab calf cow cash cap car card
corn comb come cool cook coach coast coat
/g/ SIWI PICTURES: here
2/23/2011 ...and a few WORDS from Caroline...and …
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/g/ SIWI PICTURES: here
goose game gate girl gum goat gold gown go ghost Gordon
/h/ SIWI PICTURES: here and PICTURES: here
he heap 'Rat in a Hat' Henry heat heel hill hip hit hiss hair head hen hand
hat heart hop hot hug hut hoop hush hook hoe hold high hole hose horse
hawk hope horn hide hive Happy
/f/ SIWI PICTURES: here
feast feed feel feet fig fin fit fish fair fall fan fat farm fast fun food foal foot
phone force fork four fern fight file fine fire five Fred
/v/ SIWI
vase vest vet van vat vote voice vine Vegemite 'Vera Violet Vinn'
/s/ SIWI PICTURES: here
seal sit seat sock seed sum sick sun sing suit sail sew same soap sell
soak sack sold sad salt sip sauce sink saw sea sort sword side Sam-I-Am
Celeste
/z/ SIWI
zip zoo zoom Zac zed zebra
'sh' SIWI
she sheep sheet shin ship shake shape shave shed shell shack shut
sharp shock shop shoot shoe shine shawl shore shirt short shout shy
Shawn
'th' SIWI
thief thick thin thing think thank thatch thong thud thumb thump thaw
thought third thirst thigh
'ch' SIWI PICTURES: here
cheep cheek cheese cheer chick chin chip chase chair chest chimp chat
chop chew choose chalk chore child Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang
'J' SIWI PICTURES: here
jeans jeep Jack jar jam jet jug jump juice jelly joke Jeff
/w/ SIWI
week weed weep wheat wheel whip wick wig win wind wing whale waist
wait wake wave weigh web wet well west wag one won wash watch wok
wood wolf walk wall Wilma warm whirl work worm world Wally Waldo
Wanda why wine wipe wire
/j/ SIWI PICTURES: here
year yell yes yak yap yacht yard young yuk yum you yolk yawn Yolanda
/l/ SIWI PICTURES: here
lead leap leaf lick leek lift lean Laa Laa lid lace lame late lay let lamb lap
last lock log love lunch lasso letter ladder look loaf load low long learn little
loud lion lie light line like lime Lulu
2/23/2011 ...and a few WORDS from Caroline...and …
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loud lion lie light line like lime Lulu
/r/ SIWI PICTURES: here
read rich rig rim Robin Rattie Rat ring rip wrist race rage rail rain rake ray
red rack rock Ron run roof room rope robe rose row Ronald wrong round
rice ride write Rin-Tin-Tin
The Teddies in Bananas in Pyjamas are Amy, Morgan and Lulu. The
Bananas are B1 and B2, and the other main character is The Rat in a Hat.
/m/ SIWI PICTURES: here
me meal mean meet Mickey Minnie milk mail make men man map march
mud moo moon move mouse mice
/n/ SIWI PICTURES: hereknead neat knit nib nip name nail neigh neck nap knock knot none nut
nose gnaw nurse noise knife nice nine
/b/ vs. /t/ and /b/ vs. /d/ CVCs
boat beat bite boot beet beat bat Bert bit bought bait
NO FINAL CONSONANTin Australian English PICTURES: here
pea pay Pooh paw purr pie pow poi Pa
bee bay boo bore burr buy bow boy bar bow
tea two tore tie toy ta toe
"D" day do door die dough
key Kay coo core cur cow coy car
gay goo guy go
four fur far foe
"V" vie vow
sea say Sue sore sir sigh sow soy sew
zoo zee
she shoe shore shy show
he hay who her high how hoe
chew chore
"G" "J" jaw joy jar Joe
me May moo more my Ma
knee neigh gnaw now no
lay Lou law lie low
we way woo war why wow woe
ray roo raw rye Roy row
NO INITIAL CONSONANT
ape
up
ebb
eat
it
eight
2/23/2011 ...and a few WORDS from Caroline...and …
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eight
out
ought
odd
Orc
add
aid
ache
oak
egg
if
off
ace
ass
"S"
us
ice
eyes
ash
each
itch
ouch
age
edge
urge
aim
"M"
in
on
urn
own
eel
ill
ale
all
owl
oil
ink
end
arm
oldPICTURES: here
BACKWARD CHAINING
"KING-WORDS" (Verbs) PICTURES: heree.g., walking-king-talking-king-making-king- etc
walking talking making looking working taking baking hiking soaking
licking wrecking stacking breaking lurking
BACKWARD CHAINING: "KEY" PICTURES: heree.g., monkey-key-donkey-key-Mickey-key-etc
monkey donkey Mickey lucky duckie hanky Blinkey wonky
MISCELLANEOUS
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/ks/ SFWF: Third Person Regular Present Tense
licks walks picks wakes looks breaks soaks talks shakes works makes
checks peeks kicks bakes bucks locks
FOOTNOTESIWI, SFWF, SIWW, etcIn the branch of Clinical Linguistics called clinical phonology, the
abbreviations SIWI, SFWF, SIWW, SFWW, etc are used to describe
where sounds occur in spoken words. SIWI is "syllable initial word initial
position". In the word "ball", /b/ is SIWI. SFWF is "syllable final word final
position". In the word "rub" /b/ is SFWF. SIWW is "syllable initial within
word position". In the word "abound" /b/ is SIWW.
The terms are used to denote how the words are pronounced by an
individual, not the way you spell them, or the way they "should" be
pronounced. So, for example, when you break a word like "innocent" into
syllables with regard to how you might spell it you get inn-o-cent. But
when most speakers of English SAY the word it becomes (roughly!) ih-nu-
sent so that the /n/ is SIWW (not SFWW as it would be if you said in-uh-
sent).
Some speech-language pathologists use these abbreviations when they
look at "phonotactics" (the patterns of vowels and consonants a child can
produce such as CV, VC, CVC, CCV, CCVC, CCVCC, etc) in detail, as
part of a phonological analysis. The information is useful in choosing
therapy targets and devising word lists for production practice and auditory
bombardment (focused auditory input) when appropriate.
Page updated 23 Mar 2010
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PRIVACY CONTENTS LINKS EMAIL CONTACT
http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/wordlists.html
COPYRIGHT © Caroline Bowen ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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