Minimal Pair List Consonants /t/ versus /n/, 687 pairs
The spelling of /t/ is <t>, <tt>, <te>, or <th> in Thai . The /n/ sound is <n> or <nn> and occasionally in combination with silent letters such as <kn> in know or <gn> in impugn . Inflected forms with -s have been included even where not strictly minimal. See the discussion under "Problems" on the main page. This does, however, create an anomaly when a plural form like wits enters pairs with both wins and wince .
The contrast is between a voiceless plosive and a voiced nasal continuant, close together in the mouth. It is not a problem for learners.
The computer missed out a number of pairs owing to inconsistency about transcribing syllabic -n with or without an unstressed vowel before it. I have restored some of these where I have noticed them, eg vital/vinyl .
Taboo word pairs are coot/coon , shit/shin and tit/tin .
Other interesting pairs include:
auditory ordinary
cartage carnage
courtier cornea
fettle fennel
goblet goblin
kettle kennel
listing listening
looter lunar
mature manure ( mature is often assimilated to / mə'ʧʊə / making this non-minimal)
motto mono
otter honour
photograph phonograph
scooter schooner
softer softener
starling snarling
stature snatcher (possible difference in stress)
teacher Nietzsche
terse nurse
traitor trainer
violets violence
The mean density value is 2.4%. The list makes 390 semantic distinctions, a loading of 57%.
alight align alighting aligning alights aligns Ascot Askern at Ann ate N Attic Alnwick auditory ordinary bait bane ballots balance Bart barn bat ban batting banning bats bans batter banner batters banners beat bean beats beans beat been beet bean beets beans begat began begot begone Bert Bern Bertie Bernie bet ben bets bens Betty Benny bight bine bit bin bits bins bite bine boat bone boating boning boats bones boater boner boaters boners boot boon boots boons bought born bought borne bouts bounce brat bran bright brine brought brawn but bun butt bun butts buns cannot cannon carat Carron carrot Carron cart Calne cartage carnage cat can cats cans catty canny cattier cannier cattiest canniest caught corn chaplet chaplain charts chance chattel channel chattels channels chit chin chits chins cleat clean clout clown clouting clowning clouts clowns coat cone coating coning coats cones commute commune commuting communing commutes communes concert concern concerting concerning concerts concerns coot coon coots coons cot con cots Cons court corn courts corns courting corning courtier cornea courtiers corneas courtier cornier crate crane crating craning crates cranes cutting cunning Cypriot Cyprian dart darn darting darning darts darns darts dance date Dane dates Danes date deign dating deigning dates deigns debt den debt dens debts dense doormat doorman dot don dotting donning dots dons doublet Dublin doubt down doubting downing doubts downs doughty downy drought drown droughts drowns eat e'en elate Elaine faster fastener fasting fastening fat fan fats fans fatting fanning fate fain fate feign fates feigns fatty Fanny fête feign fêtes feigns fêting feigning fettle fennel fight fine fighting fining fights fines fighter finer flat flan flats flans float flown flouts flounce fort fawn forts fawns gait gain gamut gammon garter garner garters garners gate gain gates gains gating gaining goblet goblin goblets goblins got gone gotta gonna gout gown grate grain grates grains great grain greet green greets greens grit grin gritting grinning grits grins groat groan groats groans gut gun guts guns gutting gunning gutter gunner gutters gunners haughty horny haughtier hornier haughtiest horniest headlight headline headlights headlines helot Helen hot Hon hurt Herne hut Hun hutted honeyed impute impugn imputing impugning imputes impugns innate inane innately inanely insets incense it in jet gen jets gens jetting genning jetty jenny jetties jennies jot John jute June kettle kennel kettles kennels kilt kiln kirtle colonel kirtles colonels kit kin kite kine knight nine knights nines knots nonce knout noun knouts nouns late lain let Len lettered Leonard lied lean light line lights lines lighter liner lighters liners lighting lining linnet linen listing listening litre leaner loot loon loots loons looter lunar mat man mats mans mate main mates mains matter manner mattered mannered matters manners matting manning mature manure matured manured matures manures maturing manuring meat mean meats means meaty meanie meet mean meets means meeting meaning meetings meanings met men meter meaner might mine mite mine mites mine mitre miner mitres miners mitts mince moat moan moats moans moot moon moots moons mooting mooning mortar mourner mortars mourners motto mono mullet mullein natty nanny night nine nights nines night-light night-line note known nut none oat own otter honour otters honours outs ounce pat pan pats pans patting panning pate pain pet pen pets pens petting penning pets pence petty Penny photograph phonograph photographs phonographs phut fun pit pin pits pins pitting pinning pithead pinhead pitheads pinheads pity pinny pities pinnies plait plan plaiting planning plaits plans plate plain plating plaining plates plains platter planner platters planners port pawn porting pawning ports pawns pots ponce pouts pounce proletariat proletarian putt pun putting punning putts puns quit quin quits quins quits quince quoit coign rat ran rate rain rating raining rates rains rate reign rating reigning rates reigns ret Rennes right Rhine rite Rhine root rune roots runes rot Ron rote roan route rune routes runes rut run rutting running ruts runs salute saloon salutes saloons sate sane sating seining scat scan scatter scanner scatters scanners scooter schooner scooters schooners Scot scone Scots scones Scots sconce seat scene seats scenes seat seen sets sense sheet sheen shit shin shitting shinning shits shins short shorn shot shone shut shun shuts shuns shutting shunning sidelight sideline sidelights sidelines sit sin sits sins sitting sinning sits since sitter sinner sitters sinners skate skein skates skeins skit skin skits skins skylight skyline skylights skylines slate slain softer softener spat span spats spans spatting spanning spate Spain spatter spanner spatters spanners spirt spurn spirting spurning spirts spurns spit spin spits spins spitting spinning spite spine spites spines sport spawn sporting spawning sports spawns stack snack stacks snacks stag snag stags snags stair snare stairs snares stake snake staked snaked stakes snakes staking snaking stale snail stales snails stared snared staring snaring starling snarling state stain stating staining states stains stateless stainless stature snatcher steer sneer steered sneered steering sneering steers sneers stet Sten stick snick sticks snicks sticking snicking sticker snicker stickers snickers stiff sniff stiffs sniffs stitch snitch stitched snitched stitches snitches stitching snitching stoat stone stoats stones stoop snoop stooped snooped stooping snooping stoops snoops store snore stored snored stores snores storing snoring stout snout stow snow stowed snowed stowing snowing stows snows straight strain strait strain straits strains stub snub stubbed snubbed stubbing snubbing stubs snubs stuff snuff stuffed snuffed stuffing snuffing stuffs snuffs stutter stunner stutters stunners suitor sooner summat summon swat swan swatting swanning swats swans T knee T's knees tab nab tabs nabs tabor neighbour tabors neighbours tack knack tacks knacks Taffy NAAFI tag nag tagged nagged tagging nagging tags nags tail nail tailed nailed tailing nailing tails nails taker nacre tame name tamed named tames names taming naming tamely namely tap knap tapped knapped tapping knapping taps knaps tap nap tapped napped tapping napping taps naps tape nape tapes napes tare ne'er tart tarn tarts tarns tat tan tats tans tatting tanning tat gnat tats gnats tatter natter tattered nattered tatters natters tatter tanner tatters tanners tatty natty tattier nattier tattiest nattiest tattily nattily taught nought taught torn tawse gnaws tea knee teas knees teacher Nietzsche teal kneel tear near tears nears tech neck techs necks Ted Ned Teddy Neddy tee knee tees knees teed knead teeing kneeing teeter neater teeth 'neath tell nell tells nells telly Nelly terse nurse Tess ness test nest tested nested testing nesting tests nests tether nether Texas nexus text next Thai nigh Thame name that than thought thorn thoughts thorns throat throne throats thrones tick nick ticked nicked ticking nicking ticks nicks tickers knickers tickle nickel tickled nickelled tickles nickels tie nigh tiff niff tiffs niffs tight knight tights knights tight night tights nights tighter nitre tightly knightly tightly nightly tine nine tines nines tip nip tipped nipped tipping nipping tips nips tipple nipple tipples nipples tire nigher tit tin tits tins to gnu toad node toads nodes toddle noddle toddles noddles toe know toeing knowing toes knows toe no toll knoll tolls knolls tome gnome tomes gnomes ton none ton nun tons nuns took nook too gnu tope nope tor gnaw tors gnaws tor nor tore gnaw tore nor torch nautch torches nautches tort nought tort torn tosh nosh toshes noshes tot knot tots knots totted knotted totting knotting total tonal totality tonality tote note toted noted totes notes toting noting tote tone totes tones toting toning tout knout touts knouts tout town touts towns tow know towing knowing tows knows tow no town noun towns nouns toys noise trait train traitor trainer traitors trainers tribute tribune tributes tribunes tub nub tubs nubs tun none tun nun tuns nuns turbot turban turbots turbans turves nerves tut nut tuts nuts tutted nutted tut ton tuts tons tut tun tuts tuns tutor tuna tutors tunas tutor tuner tutors tuners tweet 'tween twit twin twitting twinning twits twins two gnu twos gnus untamed unnamed vat van veto vino vetoes vinoes violets violence vital vinyl wait wane waiting waning waits wanes wart warn warts warns watt wan wet wen wets wens wets whence wheat wean whet wen whets wens whit whin white wine whites wines white whine whites whines whiting whining whiter whiner Wight whine Wight wine wit win wits wins wits wince witty whinny write Rhine writs rinse wrote roan yacht yon yet yen
