Minimal Pair List Consonants /t/ versus /w/, 278 pairs
The only spelling of /t/ in this list is <t>. This is because virtually all the contrasts are in syllable-initial position or in the clusters <st>/<sw>. The /w/ sound is <w>, <wh> or <u> in suede . Notice how the homograph tear makes pairs with the partial homograph wear/Wear and with weir .
The contrast is between a voiceless plosive and a voiced semivowel, well separated in the mouth. It is not a problem for learners.
There is one taboo word pair, tank/wank .
Interesting pairs include:
stagger swagger
starve suave
tauter water
taxi waxy
torrent warrant
The mean density value is 1.6%. The list makes 133 semantic distinctions, a loading of 48%.
crosstalk crosswalk stag swag stagger swagger staggered swaggered staggering swaggering staggers swaggers staggerer swaggerer staggerers swaggerers staid suede staid swayed stain swain stains swains stair swear stairs swears stank swank stare swear staring swearing stares swears starve suave stay sway staying swaying stays sways stayed swayed stayed suede steep sweep steeping sweeping steeps sweeps steeper sweeper stepped swept stet sweat still swill stilled swilled stilling swilling stills swills sting swing stinging swinging stings swings sterling swirling Stirling swirling stitch switch stitched switched stitches switches stitching switching stolen swollen stomp swamp stomped swamped stomping swamping stomps swamps stoop swoop stooped swooped stooping swooping stoops swoops stop swap stopped swapped stopping swapping stops swaps store swore stored sward storm swarm stormed swarmed storming swarming storms swarms steed Swede steeds Swedes T we T wee T's wees tack whack tacked whacked tacking whacking tacks whacks tacks wax tag wag tagged wagged tagging wagging tags wags tail wail tailed wailed tailing wailing tails wails tailor whaler tailors whalers tails Wales tail whale tails whales take wake takes wakes taking waking taken waken tale wail tales wails tale whale tales whales talk walk talked walked talking walking talks walks talker walker talkers walkers tall wall tang whang tangle wangle tangled wangled tangles wangles tangling wangling tank wank tanked wanked tanking wanking tanks wanks tare ware tares wares taste waist tastes waists tasted waisted taste waste tastes wastes tasting wasting tasted wasted tasteful wasteful tastefully wastefully taster waster tasters wasters taut wart taught wart tauter water tawse wars tax wax taxed waxed taxing waxing taxes waxes taxi waxy Tayside wayside tea we tea wee teas wees teas wheeze tear ware tears wares tearing waring tear Wear tear weir tears weirs tease wheeze teased wheezed teasing wheezing teases wheezes teasel weasel teasels weasels Ted wed tee we tee wee tees wees teeing weeing tees wheeze tel well tell well telling welling tells wells ten wen tens wens tend wend tended wended tending wending tends wends tense whence tent went term worm termed wormed terming worming terms worms Terry wherry terse worse test west tether weather tethered weathered tethering weathering tethers weathers ticket wicket tickets wickets tie Y ties Y's tier Wear tier weir tiers weirs tiered weird tiff whiff tiffs whiffs tight Wight tight white tighter whiter tightest whitest tights whites tighten whiten tightened whitened tightening whitening tightens whitens tile while tiled whiled tiles whiles tiling whiling tilt wilt tilted wilted tilting wilting tilts wilts tine whine tined whined tines whines tine wine tined wined tines wines tinkle winkle tinkled winkled tinkles winkles tinkling winkling tip whip tipped whipped tips whips tipping whipping tippet whippet tippets whippets tire wire tired wired tires wires tiring wiring tittle Wythall to woo toad woad toddle waddle toddled waddled toddles waddles toddling waddling toddy wadi toddies wadis toe whoa toes woes token woken told wold tomb womb tombs wombs ton one tons ones ton won too woo top whop topped whopped topping whopping tops whops topper whopper toppers whoppers toque woke tor war tors wars tore war torn warn torrent warrant torrents warrants tort wart torts warts tot watt tots watts tot what tun one tuns ones tun won turd whirred turd word turds words Turk work Turks works two woo twos woos Tyne whine Tyne wine type wipe typed wiped types wipes typing wiping unties unwise
