/f/, /p/ minimal pairs

 

/f/, /p/ minimal pairs

/f/ and /v/ can be difficult sounds for non-natives since they can sound similar to /p/ and /b/. In fact, the four sounds occur in proximity: /p/ and /b/ between lips, and /f/ and /v/ between the top teeth and bottom lip. So we examine minimal pairs with these sounds. Let’s begin with /p/ and /f/. /p/ is a popping sound. So once the air is released by opening the mouth, it is impossible to extend the /p/ sound. By contrast, /f/ is pronounced with the top teeth touching the bottom lip. So the sound can be extended without moving the mouth just by continuing to blow through the gap between those two parts of the mouth: “fff….” 

fast past

foot put

fork pork

face pace

fan pan

fax packs

fee pea

feel peel

feet peat

fig pig

fine pine

fleas please

fool pool

found pound

full pull

fun pun

fail pale

fair pair

far par

fat pat

felt pelt

fen pen

few pew

file pile

fill pill

find pined

firm perm

fix picks

flight plight

fly ply

fries prize

fad pad

faint paint

fashion passion

fate pate

fear pier

ferry perry

fin pin

fit pit

flan plan

fold polled

folk poke

fond pond

four pour

fray pray

fro pro

froze prose

fund punned

funk punk

fur purr

phrase praise

faced paste

fang pang

flee plea

fleet pleat

flop plop

flume plume

flunk plunk

flush plush

flux plucks

foal poll

foes pose

furl pearl

fuss pus

 /f/, /p/ sentences

I have a passion for fashion.

I found a pound of gold.

I drink coffee while I copy the paper.

Pigs can eat figs.

She is fond of the pond.

She fainted when she saw how the room was painted.

The prize is the French fries.

A pun is for fun.