MINIMAL PAIRS AND SETS
• Phonemic distinctions in a language can be tested via pairs and sets
of words. When two words such as pat and bat are identical in form
except for a contrast in one phoneme, occurring in the same position,
the two words are described as a minimal pair.
• For example, one minimal set based on the vowel phonemes of
English could include feat, fit, fat, fate, fought, foot, and another
minimal set based on consonant phonemes could have big, pig, rig,
fig, dig, wig.