Minimal Pairs: Vowel Length (ship vs sheep)

When to Use

• •When you confuse two similar vowel sounds (e.g., /ɪ/ vs /iː/).
• •When listeners misunderstand words that differ only by a vowel.
• •When you want focused practice with high impact on clarity.

How to Form

💡 In many accents, /ɪ/ vs /iː/ differs by length and tongue position. Use a mirror: /iː/ is often tenser and slightly more spread. British vs US note: vowel inventories and exact targets differ by variety, so choose a model (UK or US) and compare yourself to that model consistently; the minimal-pair method still works in both.

Examples

Common Mistakes

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