Vowels and consonants minimal parts - SS3 English Lesson Note
Vowels: Vowels are the sounds that are produced when the vocal cords vibrate freely. They are the most important sounds in English, as they are used to form the majority of words. There are five vowels in English: a, e, i, o, u.
Consonants: Consonants are the sounds that are produced when the vocal cords are constricted or stopped. They are less important than vowels in English, as they are used to form the minority of words. There are 21 consonants in English: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z.
Minimal pairs: Minimal pairs are two words that are pronounced almost the same, but they differ in only one sound. For example, the words "bit" and "bit" are minimal pairs, as they differ only in the vowel sound. Minimal pairs are used to demonstrate the difference between two sounds.
Examples of minimal pairs for vowels:
- a: hat / hat
- e: bet / bet
- i: bit / bit
- o: hot / jot
- u: put / put
Examples of minimal pairs for consonants:
- b: bad / pad
- c: cat / hat
- d: dog / fog
- f: fat / hat
- g: gap / lap