Minimal Pair List Consonants /p/ versus /h/, 378 pairs
The spelling of /p/ is always either <p> or <pp>. The /h/ sound is spelled <h> or <wh> in who and whore . Notice that this contrast only occurs with the initial sound in the word. The /h/ sound, of course, does not occur finally in RP, and it seems that there are no pairs of the *bepest/behest pattern, although there is no reason why they should not exist. The pair partake/heartache differ in stress, but seemed close enough to include in this set.
The contrast is between a stop and a fricative, both voiceless but fairly well separated in the mouth. It is unlikely to be a problem.
The only pairs involving any taboo words are pee/he and piss/hiss and their inflections.
Interesting pairs include
paddock haddock
pardon harden
pelmet helmet
permit hermit
pierrot hero
pillory Hilary
pollster holster
puma humour
The mean density value is 4.1%. The list makes 195 semantic distinctions, a loading of 52%.
P he P's he's pa ha paced haste pack hack packed hacked packing hacking packs hacks pact hacked pad had paddock haddock pah ha pail hail pails hails pail hale pair hair pairs hairs pair hare paired hared pairing haring pairs hares pair Herr pal Hal pale hail paled hailed pales hails paling hailing pale hale paling Hayling pall hall palls halls pall haul palled hauled palling hauling palls hauls pally Halle palm harm palmed harmed palming harming palms harms palter halter palters halters Pam ham pamper hamper pampered hampered pampering hampering pampers hampers pang hang pangs hangs panned hand pap hap par ha pardon harden pardoned hardened pardoning hardening pardons hardens pare hair pares hairs pare hare pared hared pares hares paring haring pare Herr park hark parked harked parking harking parks harks parr ha parry harry parried harried parries harries parrying harrying part hart parts harts part heart parts hearts parted hearted partake heartache partakes heartaches partly Hartley party hearty pasha harsher paste haste pasty hasty pastier hastier pastiest hastiest pastings Hastings pat hat pats hats patch hatch patched hatched patches hatches patching hatching pate hate pates hates path hearth patter hatter patters hatters Paul hall Paul haul paunch haunch paunches haunches pause haws pause whores paw haw pawed hawed pawing hawing paws haws paw hoar paw whore paws whores pawed hoard pawed horde pawl hall pawls halls pawl haul pawls hauls pawn horn pawned horned pawning horning pawns horns pax hacks pay hay pay hey payday heyday pays haze pea he peas he's peal heal pealed healed pealing healing peals heals peal heel pealed heeled pealing heeling peals heels peal he'll pear hair pears hairs pear hare pears hares pear Herr pearl hurl pearled hurled pearling hurling pearls hurls pease he's peat heat peck heck pecks hecks pectic hectic pee he peed he'd pees he's peed heed peel heal peeled healed peeling healing peels heals peel heel peeled heeled peeling heeling peels heels peel he'll peeler healer peelers healers peeped heaped peeping heaping peer hear peering hearing peers hears peer here peers here's peeve heave peeved heaved peeves heaves peeving heaving pelmet helmet pelmets helmets pen hen pens hens pence hence pep hep per her perilled herald permit hermit permits hermits pert hurt Pete heat peter heater peters heaters pew hew pews hews pew hue pews hues pew Hugh pi hi pi hie pis hies pi high pica hiker pick hick picks hicks pie hi pie hie pied hied pies hies pie high pied hide pied Hyde pier hear piers hears pier here piers here's pierrot hero pierrots heroes pike hike pikes hikes pill hill pills hills pillory Hilary pined hind piss hiss pissed hissed pisses hisses pissing hissing pit hit pitting hitting pits hits pitch hitch pitched hitched pitches hitches pitching hitching pock hock pocked hocked pocks hocks pod hod pods hods pokes hoax pole hole poles holes pole whole poles wholes poll hole polled holed polling holing polls holes poll whole polls wholes pollard hollered polled hold pollster holster pollsters holsters Polly holly poly holly pone hone pones hones poof hoof poofs hoofs pooh Hoo pooh who pool who'll Poole who'll poop hoop poops hoops pop hop popped hopped popping hopping pops hops pope hope popes hopes poppas hoppers pore haw pored hawed pores haws pore hoar pore whore pores whores pored hoard pored horde pork hawk porker hawker porkers hawkers porn horn pose hoes pose hose posed hosed poses hoses posing hosing posies hoses post host posted hosted posting hosting posts hosts pot hot pots hots potted hotted potting hotting pothead hothead potheads hotheads pothouse hothouse pothouses hothouses potter hotter pouffe hoof pouffes hoofs pound hound pounded hounded pounding hounding pounds hounds pour haw poured hawed pours haws pour hoar pour whore pours whores poured hoard poured horde powder howdah powders howdahs powered Howard pox hocks pub hub pubs hubs pud hood pudding hooding puddle huddle puddled huddled puddles huddles puddling huddling puff huff puffed huffed puffing huffing puffs huffs puffy huffy puffier huffier puffiest huffiest pug hug pugs hugs puma humour pumas humours pump hump pumped humped pumping humping pumps humps pun Hun puns Huns punch hunch punched hunched punches hunches punching hunching punk hunk punks hunks punkahs hunkers punt hunt punted hunted punting hunting punts hunts punter hunter punters hunters purl hurl purled hurled purling hurling purls hurls purr her purrs hers purred heard purred herd purse hearse purses hearses putt hut putts huts putted hutted puttied hutted pyre higher pyre hire pyres hires pyx hicks
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