Minimal Pair List Consonants /t/ versus /ŋ/, 140 pairs
The spelling of /t/ is <t> or <tt>. The /ŋ/ sound is <ng> or <ngue> in tongue . Inflected forms with -s have been included even where not strictly minimal. See the discussion under "Problems" on the main page.
The contrast is between a voiceless plosive and a voiced nasal continuant, well separated in the mouth. It is not a problem for learners.
The only mildly taboo word pair is tits/tings .
This is a fairly short list even though both sounds are fairly common in the language. The reason is that the /ŋ/ sound can only occur in syllable final position following a short vowel. A great many of the pairs arise from contrasting a noun ending in / ɪt / with a present participle such as basket/basking . Other interesting pairs include:
hatter hangar
starlit starling
The mean density value is 0.7%. The list makes 98 semantic distinctions, a loading of 73%.
allot along bandit banding bandits bandings basket basking bat bang bats bangs batting banging batter banger batters bangers billet billing Bridget bridging Brit bring bucket bucking buffet buffing but bung butt bung butts bungs butting bunging carpet carping circlet circling civet sieving clatter clanger clatters clangers cornet corning corset coursing couplet coupling couplets couplings cricket cricking cruet crewing cubit cubing docket docking doublet doubling driblet dribbling drugget drugging fat fang fats fangs faucet forcing fillet filling fillets fillings flit fling flits flings flitting flinging GATT gang gibbet jibbing goblet gobbling got gong gullet gulling hat hang hatchet hatching hatter hangar hatters hangars hornet horning hut hung jacket jacking kit king lancet lancing legate legging legates leggings limit limning limpet limping lit ling locket locking lot long lots longs market marking markets markings matchet matching millet milling mullet mulling packet packing palette palling pat pang pats pangs permit perming picket picking picket pickings pit ping pits pings pitting pinging pitter pinger pitters pingers pitta pinger planet planning plummet plumbing poppet popping pullet pulling punnet punning racket racking rat rang refit reefing rocket rocking rot wrong rots wrongs rotting wronging rut rung ruts rungs sat sang singlet singling sit sing sits sings sitting singing sitter singer sitters singers slat slang slit sling slits slings slitting slinging slut slung snippet snipping socket socking sot song sots songs sprat sprang sprit spring sprits springs starlit starling strut strung summit summing surfeit surfing tat tang tatty tangy tattier tangier tattiest tangiest ticket ticking tippet tipping tit ting tits tings toilet toiling trumpet trumping tut tongue tuts tongues whippet whipping whippets whippings whit wing wit wing wits wings witter winger witters wingers writ ring writs rings
