Minimal Pair List Consonants /d/ versus / ʧ /, 222 pairs
The /d/ sound is spelled with <d>, <de>, <dd> or <dh> in dhow . The / ʧ / sound is usually with <ch> or <tch>, and we also see <tsch>in loan words such as bortsch . Notice how the homograph read and the partial homograph Reading/reading makes pairs with wretch and retching and with reach and reaching .
The contrast is between a voiced stop and a voiceless affricate, close together in the mouth. It is not a problem for learners.
The only taboo word pairs is peed/peach .
The expression "dumb chum" is often used to describe a dog. Other interesting pairs include:
duckling chuckling
London luncheon
ordered orchard
The mean density value is 2%. The list makes 148 semantic distinctions, a loading of 67%.
aid H ardour archer ardours archers avowed avouch bad batch bawd bortsch bead beach beading beaching bead beech belled belch bend bench bid bitch bidding bitching bird birch bleed bleach bleeding bleaching blend blench blending blenching board bortsch bod botch bodies botches breed breach breeding breaching cad catch caddie catchy caddies catches code coach conned conch cowed couch crowd crouch crowding crouching dace chase dad Chad daft chaffed dairy chary damp champ damped champed damping champing damps champs Dane chain Danes chains dance chance danced chanced dances chances dancing chancing dapple chapel dapples chapels dare chair dared chaired daring chairing dares chairs dart chart darted charted darting charting darts charts daw chaw daws chaws daw chore daws chores dear cheer dears cheers dearie cheery deck check decked checked decking checking decks checks deck cheque decks cheques deck Czech decks Czechs decker checker deckers checkers deep cheap deeper cheaper deepest cheapest deep cheep deeps cheeps deepen cheapen deepened cheapened deepening cheapening deepens cheapens deeply cheaply deepness cheapness deign chain deigned chained deigning chaining dhow chow dhows chows dickens chickens did ditch died chide dill chill dime chime dimes chimes din chin dins chins dine chine dines chines dints chintz dip chip dipped chipped dipping chipping dips chips dive chive dives chives divvy chivvy divvies chivies do chew do's chews doing chewing dock choc docks chocs dock chock docked chocked docking chocking docks chocks does chose door chaw doors chaws door chore doors chores Dorking chalking Doug chug duck chuck ducked chucked ducking chucking ducks chucks duckling chuckling dud Dutch dug chug dugs chugs dumb chum dummy chummy dump chump dumps chumps dunk chunk dunks chunks D's cheese Ed etch eddies etches feeder feature feeders features fed fetch filled filch friend French gnawed nautch gulled gulch had hatch harried Harwich horned haunch hid hitch horrid Horwich id itch impede impeach impeding impeaching Indies inches kid kitsch lad latch laddies latches lard larch launder launcher launders launchers lead leach leading leaching London luncheon mad match marred march milled milch Mondays munches mood mooch mud much mulled mulch nod notch nodding notching ordered orchard pad patch padding patching Paddy patchy Paddies patches pawned paunch pawed porch peed peach plead pleach pleading pleaching pud putsch punned punch purred perch road roach read reach reading reaching read retch read wretch readies retches reading reaching Reading retching red retch red wretch rend wrench rending wrenching rid rich saddle satchel saddles satchels scored scorch screed screech speed speech starred starch surd search teed teach Teddy tetchy tend tench trend trench trending trenching vender venture venders ventures vowed vouch wad watch wadding watching wadis watches wend wench wending wenching wind winch winding winching
March
