Minimal Pair List Vowels 1 and 4, /i/ versus /æ/ 391 pairs
The /i/ vowel exhibits in this list its common spellings of <ee>, <ea> and <eCe>, along with unusual spellings in chic , Keith , kilo , keyless , Rheims and Sikh . The /æ/ vowel is usually <a> in a monosyllable or before two consonants, but this set also contains the spellings <aCe> in bade and <ai> in plaid .
These two vowels are sufficiently far apart in the mouth to be a problem for nobody.
Two of the potential rude word confusions are evident here, namely creep / crap and sheet / shat .
Interesting pairs include:breezier brassière
diesels dazzles
greenery granary
keyless callous
seaman salmon
seedling saddling
The mean density is 4.5%. The 394 pairs make 216 semantic contrasts, giving a semantic loading of 55%.
beach batch beaches batches bead bad bead bade beak back beaks backs beaker backer beakers backers bean ban beans bans beans banns beast bast beat bat beating batting beats bats beaten batten beater batter beaters batters Bede bad Bede bade beech batch beeches batches been ban beet bat beets bats beetle battle beetled battled beetles battles beetling battling beta batter betas batters betel battle betels battles bleak black bleaker blacker bleakest blackest breed brad breeds brads breezier brassi`ere cedar sadder cede sad cheap chap cheat chat cheated chatted cheating chatting cheats chats cheap chap cheep chap cheeped chapped cheeping chapping cheeps chaps cheese Chas cheetah chatter cheetahs chatters chic shack clean clan cleans clans clique clack cliques clacks creak crack creaked cracked creaking cracking creaks cracks cream cram creamed crammed creaming cramming creams crams crease crass creek crack creeks cracks creep crap creeping crapping creeps craps dean Dan deed dad deeds dads deem dam deeming damming deeming damming deems dams deem damn deemed dammed deeming damming deems damns deeper dapper diesel dazzle diesels dazzles dream drachm dreams drachms dream dram dreams drams ease as eastern Aston Easter aster Easters asters eat at eater attar edict addict edicts addicts eel Al e'en Ann e'en an eked act ekes ax Ely Ali Ely alley E's as Eve Ave feat fat feats fats feed fad feeds fads feet fat fiend fanned fleet flat fleetly flatly fleetness flatness fleets flats fleeter flatter fleetest flattest geese gas gene Jan gleaned gland grebe grab grebes grabs greenery granary G's jazz greenery granary heal Hal heap hap heaped happed heaping happing heaps haps heat hat heats hats heater hatter heaters hatters heath hath heave have heaves haves heaving having heed had heel Hal Jean Jan keen can keened canned keening canning keens cans keen Cannes keener canna keep cap keeping capping keeps caps Keith Cath keyed cad keyless callous keyless callus kilo callow leach latch leached latched leaches latches leaching latching lead lad leads lads leader ladder leaders ladders league lag leagued lagged leagues lags leaguing lagging leak lack leaked lacked leaking lacking leaks lacks leaks lax leaky lackey leaned land leap lap leaped lapped leaping lapping leaps laps leaps lapse lease lass leases lasses leash lash leashes lashes leave lav leaves lavs leech latch leeches latches Leeds lads leek lack leeks lacks leeks lax Leix lash lied lat lieder ladder litre latter mead mad mean man meanly manly meaning manning means mans meaner manna meaner manner meaner manor meat mat meats mats meat matt meed mad meek mac meet mat meeting matting meets mats meet matt mete mat meted matted metes mats meting matting mete matt meter matter meters matters meeting matting metre matter metres matters mien man miens mans neap knap neaps knaps neap nap neaps naps neat Nat neat gnat neater natter overleap overlap overleaped overlapped overleaping overlapping overleaps overlaps peach patch peached patched peaches patches peaching patching peak pack peaked packed peaking packing peaks packs peaked pact peaks pax peal pal peals pals pealed palled pealing palling peat pat peaty Patty peed pad peek pack peeked packed peeking packing peeks packs peeked pact peeks pax peel pal peeled palled peeling palling peels pals peeler pallor peke pack pekes packs pekes pax Peking packing penal panel peep pap Pete Pat Peter patter peter patter petered pattered petering pattering peters patters pique pack piqued packed piques packs piquing packing piqued pact piques pax plead plaid pleads plaids pleat plait pleated plaited pleating plaiting pleats plaits quiche cache quiches caches quiche cash quiches cashes reach ratch reaches ratches ream ram reams rams reap rap reaped rapped reaping rapping reaps raps reaped rapt reap wrap reaping wrapping reaped wrapped reaps wraps reaper wrapper reapers wrappers reek rack reeked racked reeking racking reeks racks reek wrack Rheims rams Rita ratter scenes sans scream scram screamed scrammed screaming scramming screams scrams screech scratch screeched scratched screeches scratches screeching scratching seaman salmon seam Sam seaman salmon seamen salmon seamy Sammy seat sat seed sad seedling saddling seek sac seeks sacs seeks sax seek sack seeking sacking seeks sacks seem Sam seep sap seeped sapped seeping sapping seeps saps semen salmon sepia sappier sheet shat Sikh sac Sikhs sacs Sikh sack Sikhs sacks Sikhs sax skeet scat sleek slack sleeked slacked sleeker slacker sleekest slackest sleeking slacking sleekly slackly sleekness slackness sleeks slacks sleep slap sleeping slapping sleeps slaps sleet slat sleets slats sleeted slatted sneak snack sneaks snacks steamer stammer steamers stammers teak tack teat tat teats tats teen tan teens tans teeter tatter teetered tattered teeters tatters Tina tanner treed trad weak whack weaker whacker week whack weeks whacks weeks wax wreak rack wreaked racked wreaks racks wreaking racking wreak wrack
