About this lesson
Many English sound pairs are hard because the two sounds are close, or because your own language has only one of them. This mix covers several: F and P, P and B, B and V, TH and S, G and K, and the vowels in EE and IH, then IH, E and A. The consonant pairs often share one mouth shape, and the difference is whether your voice is on, which you can feel with your fingers on your throat. P also carries a small puff of air at the start of a stressed syllable, and B does not.
For the vowel pairs, teachers separate the sounds by muscle tension, tongue height and how open the jaw is, not by length alone. The first vowel is tense, with the tongue high. The next ones are more relaxed and each step is a little lower and more open. Anchor words, easy words with the same vowel, help you hold your place. Ear training comes first: you cannot say a difference you cannot hear.
Several tips in these videos need care. A whispered B is close to P but has no puff, a mouth with rounded lips is not what the A vowel needs, and only the tip of the tongue shows for TH. Treat each cue as a way to feel the target, then check against what you hear. Expect weeks of short practice, not a quick fix.
Examples from the clips
- Vivid English describes the mouth for F, with the top teeth on the lip, and for P, with both lips closed and then released.
- Accent's Way English with Hadar shows how to feel your voice switch on with F and V, then use the same feeling for P and B.
- Shaw English Online compares B and V: lips together for one, top teeth on the lower lip for the other.
- San Diego Voice and Accent separates the two EE and IH vowels by tense and relaxed muscles, with a hand under the chin to feel it.
Questions this lesson answers
How do I tell F from P?
For F the top teeth rest on the lower lip and the air flows steadily. For P both lips close and then open with a small release.
What is the difference between P and B?
They use the same mouth shape. B has your voice on, and P is airy with a small puff at the start of a stressed syllable. A whispered B is close to P but still lacks the puff.
How can I hear and say the EE and IH vowels?
EE is tense, with spread lips and a high tongue. IH is more relaxed, with a looser jaw and softer lips. Feel the muscles under your chin to tell them apart.
Do the mouth shapes for A and E need round lips?
No. The lips are not rounded. The jaw drops a little more and the front of the tongue goes lower at each step.
How should I practise minimal pairs?
Pick one pair, listen until you can tell the words apart, then say them slowly and put both in sentences. Short daily practice works better than one long session.