Minimal Pair List Consonants /v/ versus /z/, 164 pairs
The /v/ sound is spelled with <v>, <ve> or <vv> in divvy . The /z/ sound is spelled <s>, <z> or <zz>. Notice that since dove and does are homographs (both for American speakers) they should really form two pairs.
The contrast is between a labio-dental fricative and an alveolar fricative, both voiced. Although the sounds are acoustically quite similar, the contrast is not a problem for learners.
One mildly taboo pair is peeve/pees .
A number of the pairs arise from contrasting an adjective ending in -ive with a plural noun or 3rd-person verb, such as successive/successes . Other interesting pairs include:
canvas Kansas
novel nozzle
swivel swizzle
The mean density value is 1.3%. The list makes 121 semantic distinctions, a loading of 74%.
abusive abuses aggrieve agrees alive allies arrive arise arriving arising Ave as brave braes brave braise braved braised braving braising breve breeze calve cars canvas Kansas cave K's clove close coercive coerces conducive conduces convulsive convulses coven cousin covens cousins crave craze craved crazed cursive curses curve curs Dave days Davey Daisy defensive defences delve dells depressive depresses devolve dissolve devolved dissolved devolves dissolves devolving dissolving dive dies divine design divined designed divines designs divining designing diviner designer diviners designers divisive devices divvy dizzy divvies dizzies dove does drive dries drivel drizzle drivelled drizzled drivels drizzles drivelling drizzling Eve E's evil easel evils easels evilly easily excessive excesses expansive expanses expensive expenses expressive expresses frivol frizzle frivolled frizzled frivols frizzles gave gays grave grays grove grows have has haven't hasn't heave he's helve hells hive hies Hove hoes Hove hose impressive impresses I've I's I've eyes knave neighs lave lays lave laze laved lazed laving lazing leave leas leave lees live lies louvre loser louvres losers massive masses mauve mows missive misses move moos naval nasal navel nasal navels nasals novel nozzle novels nozzles obsessive obsesses of oz offensive offences oppressive oppresses pave pays peeve P's peeve pees possessive possesses prevent present prevented presented preventing presenting prevents presents preventable presentable progressive progresses purposive purposes rave raise raved raised raving raising rave rays raven raisin ravens raisins raver raiser ravers raisers recessive recesses regressive regresses repressive represses repulsive repulses responsive responses retrogressive retrogresses Rev res revive revise revived revised reviving revising revolution resolution revolutions resolutions revolve resolve revolved resolved revolves resolves revolving resolving rive rise riven risen riving rising rove rose serve sirs shelve shells slave slays starve stars stave stays stove stows successive successes suppressive suppresses swivel swizzle swivels swizzles throve throes V zee vase Tsars veal zeal vest zest Viv viz viva visor vivas visors waive ways waive weighs wave ways wave weighs weave wheeze weaving wheezing weave wees we've wees wive Y's wove woes you've U's
October
