Minimal Pair List Consonants /k/ versus /m/, 558 pairs
The /k/ sound is spelled with <c>, <cc>, <k>, <ch> in ache , and <q> in the letter name Q and the word queue . The /m/ sound is spelled <m> or <mm> throughout.
The contrast is between a voiceless velar stop and a voiced bilabial nasal continuant. It does not cause many listening problems.
The sentence "The cat sat on the mat" epitomises easy reading for young children. Other interesting pairs include:
carrion Marian
colour mullah
coral moral
cuddle muddle
custard mustard
optical optimal
recourse remorse
succour summer
supplicant supplement
Taboo word pairs include: cock/mock and coon/moon .
The mean density value is 3.3%. The list makes 270 semantic distinctions, a loading of 48%.
account amount accounted amounted accounting amounting accounts amounts accuse amuse accused amused accuses amuses accusing amusing accusingly amusingly ache aim aching aiming aches aims ached aimed aconite ammonite aconites ammonites arc arm arcs arms ark arm arks arms bark balm beak beam beaks beams bodkin Bodmin brick brim bricking brimming bricked brimmed bricks brims buck bum bucking bumming bucks bums cable Mabel cache mash cached mashed caches mashes caching mashing cad mad caddie Maddy cadge Madge caisson mason caissons masons cake came cake make cakes makes caking making Cali Mali call maul called mauled calling mauling calls mauls callow Mallow cam ma'am camber mamba cambers mambas came maim camel mammal camels mammals can man canned manned canning manning cans mans candy Mandy cane main canes mains cane mane canes manes canna manna cannas manners Cannes man cap map capping mapping caps maps capped mapped Capt mapped car ma car mar cars mars card marred care mare cares mares care mayor cares mayors careen marine careens marines Carl marl Carlow Marlow carpal Marple carriage marriage carriages marriages carry marry carried married carries marries carrying marrying carrion Marian cart mart carts marts carter martyr carters martyrs case mace cases maces cash mash cashed mashed cashes mashes cashing mashing cask mask casks masks cast mast casts masts caste mast castes masts caster master casters masters cat mat cats mats catch match catches matches catching matching cause maws caw maw caws maws caw more cawed Maud Celt melt Celts melts chorale morale chuck chum chucking chumming chucks chums clack clam clacking clamming Co Mo coal mole coals moles coaled mould coking coaming coarse Morse coast most coat moat coated moated coats moats coax mokes cob mob cobs mobs cock mock cocked mocked cocking mocking cocks mocks cocker mocker cockers mockers cocker comma cockers commas cod Mod cods Mods coddle model coddled modelled coddles models coddling modelling code mode codes modes coil moil coiled moiled coiling moiling coils moils coke comb cokes combs col moll cols molls cola molar colas molars cold mould colds moulds colder moulder collie Molly colour mullah colours mullahs colt moult colts moults come mum comes mums comer mummer comers mummers comma mocha comma mocker commas mockers cone moan coned moaned cones moans coning moaning coo moo cooing mooing coos moos cooed mooed cooed mood coon moon coons moons coot moot coots moots cop mop copped mopped copping mopping cops mops cope mope coped moped copes mopes coping moping Copt mopped coral moral corals morals core maw cores maws core more Cork corm corn morn corns morns corn mourn corned mourned corning mourning corns mourns corner mourner corners mourners corning morning cosy mosey cosies moseys count mount counted mounted counts mounts county Mountie counties Mounties course Morse cove mauve coves mauves cow mow cows mows cowing mowing Cowes mows cowrie Maori cowries Maoris crack cram cracking cramming cracks crams cracker crammer crackers crammers creak cream creaking creaming creaks creams creaky creamy creakier creamier creakiest creamiest croak chrome cud mud cuddle muddle cuddled muddled cuddles muddles cuddling muddling cue mew cues mews cuing mewing cued mewed cuff muff cuffed muffed cuffing muffing cuffs muffs cull mull culled mulled culling mulling culls mulls cur myrrh curses mercies curtain Merton cuss muss cusses musses cussing mussing custard mustard cut mutt cuts mutts cute mute cutely mutely cutter mutter cutters mutters deacon daemon deacons daemons defecation defamation dekko demo desiccate decimate desiccated decimated desiccates decimates desiccating decimating dicker dimmer dickers dinners dike dime dikes dimes duck dumb ducky dummy duckies dummies earthwork earthworm earthworks earthworms elk elm elks elms embark embalm embarking embalming embarks embalms fake fame flake flame flaking flaming flakes flames fleck phlegm fluke flume folk foam forecast foremast forecasts foremasts fork form forking forming forks forms frock from hack ham hacking hamming hacks hams hark harm harking harming harks harms hawk haulm hawks haulms heck hem hick him jack jam jacks jams jacking jamming jackpot jampot jackpots jampots jerk germ jerks germs K May K's Mays K's maize kail mail kail male Kaiser miser Kaisers misers Kate mate Katie matey keen mean keener meaner keenest meanest keening meaning keens means keenness meanness keg Meg Keith Meath ken men kenned mend Kenny many Kent meant Kerry merry kettle metal kettles metals key me kick Mick kicks mix kiddy middy kiddies middies kill mill killed milled killing milling kills mills killer miller killers millers kilt milt kind mind kinds minds kinder minder kine mine kink mink kinks minks kirk murk kirtle myrtle kirtles myrtles kiss miss kissed missed kisses misses kissing missing kite might kite mite kites mites kitten mitten kittens mittens Korea Maria lack lam lacking lamming lacks lams lacked lammed lack lamb lacking lambing lacks lambs lacked lambed lake lame lakes lames lick lim licking limning licks lims lick limb licks limbs like lime liking liming likes limes liked limed lucky lumme mac ma'am make maim making maiming makes maims mike mime mikes mimes muck mum mucky mummy Newark Newham oak ohm oaks ohms optical optimal pack Pam park palm parking palming parks palms parked palmed parka Parma parka palmer parkas palmers parky palmy perk perm perking perming perks perms perked permed pluck plum plucks plums pluck plumb plucking plumbing plucks plumbs plucked plumbed plucky plummy pluckier plummier pluckiest plummiest pock pom prick prim pricker primmer prickly primly Q mew Q's mews quark qualm quarks qualms queue mew queued mewed queueing mewing queues mews rack ram racking ramming racks rams racked rammed recourse remorse reek ream reeks reams Reich rhyme rick rim ricking rimming ricked rimmed ricks rims roc rhomb rock rhomb rocks rhombs ruck rum rucks rums sac Sam safety-catch safety-match safety-catches safety-matches sake same scattering smattering scut smut scuts smuts seek seam seeking seaming seeks seams seek seem seeks seems seeking seeming shack sham shacking shamming shacks shams shacked shammed shake shame shaking shaming shakes shames sheikh shame sheikhs shames slack slam slacking slamming slacks slams slacked slammed slick slim slicker slimmer slickest slimmest stalk storm stalking storming stalked stormed stalks storms stork storm storking storming storked stormed storks storms streak stream streaking streaming streaks streams streaked streamed struck strum succour summer succoured summered succouring summering succours summers suck some suck sum sucking summing sucks sums sucked summed sucker summer suckers summers supplicant supplement supplicants supplements tacky tammy take tame taking taming takes tames take Thame taker tamer takers tamers teak team tike thyme tike time tikes times toque tome toques tomes track tram tracks trams trick trim tricking trimming tricked trimmed tricks trims Turk term Vic vim walk warm walking warming walks warms walked warmed walker warmer walkers warmers wick whim woodwork woodworm work worm working worming worked wormed works worms yak yam yaks yams
May
