Minimal Pair List Consonants /b/ versus / ʤ /, 213 pairs
The spelling of /b/ is <b> or <bb>. The / ʤ / sound is usually <j> but also <g> before <e> or <i> and exceptionally in gaol , In other positions it is <ge> or <dge>.
The contrast is between a plosive and an affricate, both voiced but well separated in the mouth. It is not a problem for any learners.
Interesting pairs include:
ability agilityThe term gender bender has come into the language recently to describe a person who behaves in ways typical of the opposite sex.
bourbon burgeon
The mean density value is 3%. The list makes 110 semantic distinctions, a loading of 52%.
Abe age ability agility B G B's G's baa jar baa'd jarred baas jars Babs jabs baccy Jackie back jack backed jacked backing jacking backs jacks bag jag bagged jagged bagging jagging bags jags baggy jaggy bail gaol bailed gaoled bailing gaoling bails gaols baize J's bake jake bakes jakes bale gaol baled gaoled baling gaoling bales gaols ban Jan bane Jane bangle jangle bangles jangles bar jar barring jarring bars jars barred jarred barb barge barbed barged bard jarred barrow Jarrow bawd jawed bay J bays J's bayed jade bean gene bean Jean beard jeered beau Joe been gene been Jean beer jeer beers jeers bell gel bells gels belled gelled belling gelling belle gel belles gels belly jelly bellied jellied bellies jellies bellying jellying ben gen bend genned bender gender Benny Jenny bent gent bents gents Bernie journey berry jerry berries jerries Bess Jess Bessie Jessie best jest bested jested besting jesting bests jests bet jet bets jets betted jetted betting jetting Betty jetty bey J beys J's bib jib bibbed jibbed bibbing jibbing bibs jibs bier jeer biers jeers big jig bigger jigger bill gill bills gills bin djinn bins djinns bin gin bins gins bingo jingo biro gyro biros gyros bitters jitters boar jaw boars jaws board jawed bob job bobbed jobbed bobbing jobbing bobs jobs Boche Josh bog jog bogged jogged bogging jogging bogs jogs boggle joggle boggled joggled boggles joggles boggling joggling bolt jolt bolted jolted bolting jolting bolts jolts bone Joan bones Jones Bonn John bonny Johnny bony Joanie boo Jew boos Jews boon June boons Junes boot jute booze Jews bore jaw bores jaws bored jawed boss joss bosses josses bourbon burgeon bourbons burgeons bow Joe boy joy boys joys budge judge budged judged budges judges budging judging bug jug bugged jugged bugging jugging bugs jugs built jilt bulb bulge bump jump bumped jumped bumping jumping bumps jumps bumper jumper bumpers jumpers bumpy jumpy bumpier jumpier bumpiest jumpiest bungle jungle bungles jungles bunk junk bunks junks buoy joy buoyed joyed buoying joying buoys joys burke jerk burked jerked burkes jerks bury jerry buries jerries bused just bust just but jut butt jut butted jutted butting jutting butts juts cab cadge cabbies cadges cobber codger cobbers codgers derbies dirges drub drudge drubbed drudged drubbing drudging ebb edge ebbed edged ebbing edging grub grudge grubbed grudged grubbing grudging lob lodge lobbed lodged lobbing lodging lobbies lodges nub nudge pleb pledge rib ridge ribbed ridged ribbing ridging robber Roger turbid turgid turbidity turgidity verb verge web wedge webbed wedged webbing wedging
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