Minimal Pair List Consonants /ʃ/ versus /l/, 212 pairs
The /ʃ/ sound is spelled with <sh> in this set apart from <ch> in chic . The /l/ sound is spelled with <l> or <ll>.
This is a contrast between a voiceless alveolar fricative and a voiced lateral continuant. It is not a problem, though the /l/ sound may be difficult for some learners.
Taboo word pairs include shag/lag and shit/lit .
Interesting pairs include:
officiate affiliate
shepherd leopard
shivery livery
The mean density value is 1.2%. The list makes 120 semantic distinctions, a loading of 57%.
ash Al ashes alleys ashy Ali ashy alley assure allure assured allured assures allures assuring alluring borsch ball bush bull bushes bullies bushy bully chaise lays chaise laze chaises lazes chassis lassie chauffeur loafer chauffeurs loafers chic leak chic leek chute loot chutes loots cosh col coshes collies dashes dallies dish dill fish fill fishing filling fished filled fishes fillies fishy filly gash gal gashes galleys gauche goal gush gull gushing gulling gushes gullies hash Hal hush hull hushing hulling hushed hulled leash Lille lush lull marsh marl marshy Mali meshed melt mush mull officiate affiliate officiated affiliated officiates affiliates officiating affiliating pasha parlour pashas parlours posh poll poshes polys push pull pushing pulling pushes pulleys pushover pullover pushovers pullovers rashes rallies sashes sallies satiable salable schist list shack lack shacked lacked shacking lacking shacks lacks shacks lax shad lad shade lade shading lading shady lady shaft laughed shag lag shagged lagged shagging lagging shags lags shah la shake lake shakes lakes sham lam shams lams shammed lammed shamming lamming sham lamb shams lambs shammed lambed shamming lambing shame lame shamed lamed shames lames shaming laming shank lank shard lard share lair shares lairs share layer shares layers shared laird shark lakh sharks lakhs shat lat shatter latter shave lave shaved laved shaves laves shaving laving she Leigh she lea she lee sheaf leaf shear leer sheared leered shearing leering shears leers sheer leer shed lead shedding leading shepherd leopard shepherds leopards shepherdess leopardess shepherdesses leopardesses shift lift shifted lifted shifting lifting shifts lifts shine line shines lines shining lining ship lip shipped lipped ships lips shipping lipping shire liar shires liars shire lyre shires lyres shirk lurk shirked lurked shirking lurking shirks lurks shit lit shiver liver shivers livers shivery livery shock loch shocks lochs shock lock shocked locked shocking locking shocks locks shocker locker shockers lockers shoe lieu shoe loo shoes loos shook look shoot loot shoots loots shooting looting shooter looter shooters looters shop lop shopped lopped shopping lopping shops lops shore law shores laws shore lor shore lore shored laud shored lord shorn lawn shot lot shots lots shout lout shouts louts shove love shoved loved shoves loves shoving loving show lo show low showing lowing shows lows showed lowed showed lode shower lour showered loured showering louring showers lours shown loan shuck luck shucks luxe shy lie shying lying shies lies shied lied sure lure swish swill swishing swilling swished swilled washer wallah washers wallahs washy Wally wish will wishing willing wished wilt wishes willies wishful wilful wishfully wilfully
.
