Distinguishing Similar Sounds
Some words sound similar to each other, but they are different. For speakers of certain languages, some sounds are more difficult to distinguish than others.
| Native Language | Difficult Sounds | Examples |
| Arabic Russian Spanish Japanese Thai Korean | p and b d and t sh and ch I and r v and w th and s | pan/ ban door/ tore wish/ which lot/ rot vet/ wet thin/ sin |
English vowels can be difficult to distinguish for speakers of almost any language. Here are some commonly confused English vowel sounds:
| i and ee a and e e and ay o and aw a and u | ship/ sheep pat/ pet debt/ date boat/ bought bat/ but |
It is always a good idea to practice distinguishing similar sounds in English. This will help you choose the correct spelling of a word. Determine which sounds give you the most difficulty and look for minimal pairs drills online and in books. Below is an exemplary exercise. Read and listen to these commonly confused words. In each pair, the only difference is of one sound:
| bath / path cub / cup lice / rice chip / ship match / mash tear / dare | wet / wed thumb / some math / mass din / ding jam / yam west / vest | flow / flaw cat / cut chit / cheat set / sat |
Now, complete the Quiz given in the ‘Lesson Content’ box below. This will allow you to practice what you have just learnt!