Minimal Pair List Vowels 6 and 11, / ɒ / versus /3/ 161 pairs


   Minimal pair: Vowels 6 and 11, / ɒ / versus /3/ 161 pairs

The /ɒ/ vowel is usually spelled <o> but we also find <a> after <w> in wad . The /3/ vowel is normally spelled <er>, <ir> or <ur>, and <or> after <w> in word .

This contrast is between a short and a long vowel, one with rounded lips and one unrounded. It is not usually a problem for learners.

The only mildly taboo word pair is cock/kirk .

Interesting pairs include:

collier curlier
honest earnest
socket circuit
sophist surfaced

The density value is 5.22%. The pairs make 87 semantic contrasts, giving a loading of 54%.

accost accurst
allot alert 
  allots alerts 
  allotted alerted 
  allotting alerting 
blob blurb
  blobs blurbs
blot blurt
  blots blurts
  blotted blurted
  blotting blurting
bog berg 
  bogs bergs 
boggle burgle
  boggled burgled
  boggles burgles
  boggling burgling
bond burned
Bonn Bern 
bonny Bernie 
bossed burst
botch birch
  botched birched 
  botches birches 
  botching birching 
box burkes
choler curler
  cholers curlers
collar curler
  collars curlers
chop chirp 
  chopped chirped 
  chopping chirping 
  chops chirps 
choppy chirpy  
cob curb
  cobs curbs
cock kirk
  cocks kirks
cod curd
  cods curds
coddling curdling
col curl
  cols curls
collie curly
collier curlier
cost cursed
cot curt
cotton curtain
  cottoned curtained
  cottoning curtaining
  cottons curtains
dock dirk 
  docks dirks 
dodge dirge 
  dodges dirges 
dossed durst
dot dirt 
  dotted dirtied 
dotty dirty 
  dottier dirtier 
  dottiest dirtiest 
follow furlough
  follows furloughs
god gird
  gods girds 
goggle gurgle
  goggled gurgled
  goggles gurgles
  goggling gurgling
Goth girth
  Goths girths
hob herb 
  hobs herbs 
hobble herbal 
hod heard 
  hods herds 
Hon Herne 
honest earnest 
  honestly earnestly 
hot hurt
  hots hurts
  hotting hurting
hots hertz 
jockey jerky 
Johnny journey
lock lurk
  locked lurked
  locking lurking
  locks lurks
mock murk
mosses mercies 
mossy mercy 
moth mirth 
mottle myrtle
  mottles myrtles
Nov nerve
Oct irked
odd erred 
Ollie early
on earn 
ox irks 
oz errs 
pock perk 
  pocked perked 
  pocks perks 
pod purred
poll pearl 
  polls pearls 
Polly pearly
pom perm 
  poms perms 
posse Percy 
  posses purses
pot pert 
scoff scurf
Scot skirt
  Scots skirts
shock shirk 
  shocked shirked 
  shocking shirking 
  shocks shirks 
shocker shirker 
  shockers shirkers 
shot shirt 
  shots shirts
smock smirk 
  smocking smirking 
  smocks smirks 
socket circuit 
  sockets circuits 
sod surd
  sods surds
sojourn surgeon
  sojourns surgeons
sophist surfaced
splodge splurge
  splodges splurges
spot spirt 
  spots spurts 
  spotted spurted 
  spotting spurting 
squat squirt
  squats squirts
  squatted squirted
  squatting squirting
toff turf
  toffs turfs
tom term
  toms termz
tops turps
wad whirred
wad word
  wads words
  wadded worded
  wadding wording
wadi wordy
want weren't
was whirrs
watt wert
yon yearn