It could be argued that none of the pairs below are minimal, since they differ in syllable structure. Vowel /ɪ/ is common as prefix and suffix, which means that it can make an apparent contrast with any consonant which can cluster in such positions, e.g. elide/glide or classy/clasp. It can also contrast with a syllabic consonant, and there are many pairs with /l/ such as catty/cattle, and with /n/ such as passes/parsons. There are a few cases in which a CVC structure is contrasted with a triple consonant cluster, such as serene/screen and monitor/monster. The largest groups are the pairs contrasting /ɪ/ with /t/, /d/, /s/ and /z/, nearly all accounted for by pairing a -y ending with a plural or past tense.
/p/, 33 pairs
Ali alp
Alice alps
alley alp
chummy chump
clammy clamp
classy clasp
dewy dupe
dummy dump
Elaine plain
Elaine plane
elate plate
elates plates
erase praise
erase prays
erase preys
erased praised
gammy gamp
grassy grasp
gullet gulped
gully gulp
hooey hoop
hooey whoop
illume plume
illumed plumed
illumes plumes
Lewes loops
Lewis loops
Louis loop
lumme lump
rummy rump
slummy slump
suet souped
tammy tamp
/b/, 13 pairs
Ali alb
alley alb
alleys albs
elude blued
erase braes
erase braise
erased braised
erase brays
illume bloom
illumed bloomed
illumes blooms
illuming blooming
Joey Job
/t/, 144 pairs
anise ants
Annie ant
baccy backed
basis bastes
beefy beefed
belly belt
Benny bent
Bernie burnt
Bessie best
bookie booked
bossy bossed
branchy branched
Buckie bucked
bulky bulked
bumpy bumped
canny cant
chalky chalked
chancy chanced
cheeky cheeked
chirpy chirped
choppy chopped
classy classed
cocky cocked
coffee coughed
Connie cont
cookie cooked
cooky cooked
coppice Copts
copy copped
copy Copt
cranky cranked
creaky creaked
dais dates
Delhi dealt
Denis dents
Dennis dents
Denny dent
dressy dressed
ducky ducked
ducky duct
dumpy dumped
earthy earthed
erase trays
Farsi fast
Fawley fault
flaky flaked
flashy flashed
fleecy fleeced
floppy flopped
fluffy fluffed
flunkey flunked
Forli fault
foxy foxed
freaky freaked
frothy frothed
funky funked
fussy fussed
gassy gassed
glassy glassed
glossy glossed
goofy goofed
grassy grassed
greasy greased
happy happed
harpy harped
hockey hocked
honey hunt
hooey hoot
hooky hooked
Horley halt
horny haunt
huffy huffed
husky husked
Jackie jacked
jenny gent
Jenny gent
jerky jerked
Jessie jest
jumpy jumped
Kenny Kent
kopje copped
kopje Copt
lackey lacked
lacy laced
leafy leafed
leaky leaked
Lenny leant
Lenny lent
Lewis loots
Lewis lutes
loopy looped
Louis loot
Louis lute
Lucy loosed
lumpy lumped
many meant
massy massed
messy messed
Morley malt
mucky mucked
nappy knapped
nappy napped
Nelly knelt
parky parked
patchy patched
peaky peaked
peaky peeked
peaky piqued
Percy pursed
perky perked
plucky plucked
poppy popped
puffy puffed
pulpy pulped
pursy pursed
racy raced
recce wrecked
rocky rocked
rookie rooked
runny runt
rushy rushed
sappy sapped
saucy sauced
scampi scamped
scrappy scrapped
scratchy scratched
sexy sexed
sketchy sketched
sloppy slopped
smelly smelt
snaky snaked
snappy snapped
sneaky sneaked
soppy sopped
sorely salt
squashy squashed
squeaky squeaked
sulky sulked
swampy swamped
swanky swanked
Venice vents
washy washed
waxy waxed
Yankee yanked
/d/, 118 pairs
Annie and
any end
army armed
assembly assembled
baggy bagged
Batley battled
belly belled
Benny bend
Bernie burned
bobby bobbed
boggy bogged
bonny bond
booby boobed
boozy boozed
breezy breezed
bubbly bubbled
Buckley buckled
budgie budged
buggy bugged
canny canned
chummy chummed
clammy clammed
cloggy clogged
Connie conned
coolie cooled
corny corned
Crawley crawled
creamy creamed
crumbly crumbled
curly curled
easy eased
edgy edged
equally equalled
Ernie earned
fanny fanned
foggy fogged
funny fund
gluey glued
granny grand
groovy grooved
grubby grubbed
gully gulled
gummy gummed
gunny gunned
Hagley haggled
Harvey halved
hooey who'd
Horley hauled
horny horned
Hughie hewed
Hughie hued
humbly humbled
jaggy jagged
jazzy jazzed
jelly gelled
jemmy gemmed
jenny genned
Kenny kenned
Kirkby curbed
knobbly nobbled
Lenny lend
lobby lobbed
lolly lolled
many mend
moony mooned
Morley mauled
motley mottled
movie moved
muggy mugged
nervy nerved
Netley nettled
oozy oozed
pally palled
palmy palmed
parsley parcelled
pearly pearled
pearly purled
Peggy pegged
penny penned
phooey food
plummy plumbed
pulley pulled
rankly rankled
roomy roomed
roughly ruffled
ruinous rudeness
salami salaamed
scraggy scragged
screwy screwed
scrubby scrubbed
seamy seamed
seamy seemed
shaggy shagged
shammy shammed
slangy slanged
slummy slummed
smelly smelled
smudgy smudged
smugly smuggled
snugly snuggled
sonny sunned
spongy sponged
squally squalled
steamy steamed
steely steeled
stele steeled
stormy stormed
straggly straggled
stubby stubbed
sunny sunned
tourney turned
tunny tonned
unequally unequalled
Warley walled
weeny weaned
wheezy wheezed
wobbly wobbled
wormy wormed
/k/, 15 pairs
dewy duke
elapse claps
Ellie elk
elude clewed
erase craze
erased crazed
hussy husk
Louis Luke
mossy mosque
mullet mulct
mullets mulcts
serene screen
sully sulk
tally talc
tangy tank
/g/, 8 pairs
elide glide
elides glides
elude glued
erase graze
erased grazed
erase greys
illume gloom
illumes glooms
/ʧ/, 13 pairs
belly belch
Benny bench
blarney blanch
bunny bunch
Connie conch
gully gulch
honey hunch
hooey hooch
horny haunch
money munch
mullet mulched
punnet punched
rennet wrenched
/ʤ/, 2 pairs
Hughie huge
screwy Scrooge
/f/, 17 pairs
Ali Alf
alley Alf
Delhi delf
elapse flaps
elect flecked
Ellie elf
erase frays
erase phrase
erased phrased
golly golf
gooey goof
gully gulf
hooey hoof
illume flume
illumes flumes
rally Ralph
woolly wolf
/v/, 7 pairs
clayey clave
Delhi delve
sally salve
sallied salved
sallies salves
solid solved
woolies wolves
/ʒ/, 1 pair
Louis luge
/s/, 161 pairs
ante ants
arty arts
auntie aunts
baccy backs
batty bats
beefy beefs
Betty bets
bookie books
booty boots
Buckie bucks
bulky bulks
bumpy bumps
carroty carats
carroty carrots
catty cats
chalky chalks
chatty chats
cheeky cheeks
chirpy chirps
choppy chops
chunky chunks
cocky cocks
cocky cox
coffee coughs
Connie Cons
cookie cooks
copy cops
copy copse
crafty crafts
cranky cranks
creaky creaks
creaky creeks
creepy creeps
Denny dense
dewy deuce
dotty dots
draughty drafts
draughty draughts
ducky ducks
dumpy dumps
earthy earths
eightpenny eightpence
eighty eights
Elaine slain
elate slate
Ellie else
elude slewed
enough snuff
fatty fats
faulty faults
Fawley false
flaky flakes
floppy flops
fluffy fluffs
flunkey flunks
forty forts
freaky freaks
frothy froths
fruity fruits
frumpy frumps
funky funks
gawky gawks
gooey goose
goofy goofs
Gorky gawks
grotty grots
Haiti hates
hanky hanks
happy haps
harpy harps
hearty harts
hearty hearts
hockey hocks
hooky hooks
huffy huffs
inapt snapped
Jackie jacks
jaunty jaunts
jerky jerks
jetty jets
jumpy jumps
junkie junks
junky junks
Kelty Celts
kepi capes
knotty knots
kopje cops
kopje copse
lackey lacks
lackey lax
leafy leafs
leaky leaks
leaky leeks
lengthy lengths
lofty lofts
loopy loops
Louis loose
lucky luxe
lumpy lumps
maggoty maggots
matey mates
meaty meats
meaty meets
meaty metes
monarchy monarchs
monitor monster
monitors monsters
monkey monks
mucky mucks
nappy knaps
nappy naps
natty gnats
naughty naughts
naughty noughts
nutty nuts
parky parks
party parts
patty pats
Patty pats
peaky peaks
peaky peeks
peaky pekes
peaky piques
penny pence
perky perks
petty pets
plucky plucks
poppy pops
potty pots
puffy puffs
pulpy pulps
puppy pups
puttee putts
putty putts
ratty rats
recce Rex
recce wrecks
rocky rocks
rocky rocs
rookie rooks
shaky shakes
shaky sheikhs
shaky sheiks
shirty shirts
tacky tacks
tacky tax
talkie talks
talkie torques
tatty tats
tenet tensed
threepenny threepence
toffee toffs
toughie toughs
treaty treats
tuppenny tuppence
turkey Turks
Warley waltz
warranty warrants
weighty waits
weighty weights
Yankee yanks
/z/, 264 pairs
Amy aims
any N's
army alms
army arms
assembly assembles
baby babes
baggy bags
bailey bails
bailey bales
bandy bands
barony barons
bastardy bastards
Batley battles
bawdy bawds
bawdy boards
beady beads
belly belles
belly bells
Benny bens
Bernie burns
bloody bloods
bobby bobs
boggy bogs
booby boobs
brainy brains
brandy brands
broody broods
bubbly bubbles
Buckley buckles
buddy buds
buggy bugs
bully bulls
bunny buns
cabby cabs
caddie cads
caddy cads
canny cans
centrally centrals
Charlie Charles
chummy chums
clammy clams
cloggy clogs
collie cols
commercially commercials
Connie cons
coolie cools
corny corns
craggy crags
Crawley crawls
creamy creams
crumbly crumbles
cuddly cuddles
curly curls
curtly kirtles
custody custards
daddy dads
daily dales
Debbie debs
Delhi dells
demagogy demagogues
Denny dens
dewy dues
doggy dogs
dolly dolls
doubly doubles
dreamy dreams
early earls
Ellie L's
Ely eels
equally equals
Ernie earns
Ernie urns
faddy fads
fanny fans
Fawley falls
felony felons
ferny ferns
foggy fogs
fondly fondles
fuggy fugs
gaily Gaels
gaily gales
galley gals
gamy games
gaudy gauds
generally generals
genie genes
genie jeans
Germany Germans
gloomy glooms
gluey glues
gluttony gluttons
goody goods
gravy graves
greyly grails
groovy grooves
grubby grubs
gully gulls
gummy gums
gunny guns
gutturally gutturals
Hagley haggles
handy hands
Harvey halves
heady heads
hobby hobs
honey Huns
hooey who's
hooey whose
Horley halls
Horley hauls
horny horns
hubby hubs
Hughie hews
Hughie hues
humbly humbles
jaggy jags
Jeanie genes
Jeanie jeans
jelly gels
jelly jells
jemmy gems
jenny gens
Julie joules
jungly jungles
Kenny kens
Kirkby curbs
Kirkby kerbs
knobbly nobbles
laddie lads
leggy legs
Lenny lens
lobby lobs
lolly lolls
loony loons
Louis loos
Louis lose
Maggie mags
Mamie maims
mealie meals
meany means
meany miens
medley medals
medley meddles
Molly molls
moody moods
moony moons
morally morals
Morley mauls
motley mottles
movie moves
muddy muds
muggy mugs
mummy mums
nationally nationals
naturally naturals
navy knaves
navy naves
needy kneads
needy needs
nervy nerves
Netley nettles
orally orals
paddy pads
Paddy pads
paeony paeans
paeony peons
pally pals
palmy palms
parsley parcels
pearly pearls
pearly purls
pebbly pebbles
Peggy pegs
penny pens
Penny pens
peony paeans
peony peons
plaguy plagues
plummy plumbs
plummy plums
Polly polls
poly polls
pommy poms
portly portals
possibly possibles
probably probables
professionally professionals
pulley pulls
rainy rains
rainy reigns
rainy reins
randy rands
rankly rankles
ready reds
reedy reads
reedy reeds
roomy rooms
roughly ruffles
Rudy roods
runny runs
sadly saddles
salami salaams
sandy sands
scabby scabs
scaly scales
scraggy scrags
screwy screws
scrubby scrubs
seamy seams
seamy seems
seedy cedes
seedy seeds
shady shades
shaggy shags
shammy shams
slangy slangs
slavey slaves
slummy slums
smelly smells
smugly smuggles
snugly snuggles
sonny sons
sonny suns
speedy speeds
squally squalls
steamy steams
steely steals
steely steels
steeply steeples
stele steals
stele steels
stormy storms
straggly straggles
stubby stubs
study studs
sunny sons
sunny suns
tabby tabs
tangy tangs
teddy Teds
teeny teens
telly tells
thorny thorns
tourney terns
tourney turns
trendy trends
tubby tubs
tunny tons
tunny tuns
volley vols
wadi wads
Warley walls
wavy waives
wavy waves
weedy weeds
weeny weans
Wendy wends
wobbly wobbles
woody woods
woolly wools
wooly wools
wordy words
wormy worms
/θ/, 3 pairs
eighty eighth
money month
tennis tenths
/m/, 4 pairs
Ellie elm
gluey gloom
hooey whom
Louis loom
/n/, 63 pairs
ashy ashen
batted battened
batty batten
Bertie burton
butted buttoned
corded cordoned
corses coarsens
courses coarsens
covey coven
coveys covens
coxes coxswains
curly Koln
cushy cushion
dewy dune
earthy earthen
farces fastens
Farsi fasten
fatted fattened
fatty fatten
gaudy Gordon
gooey goon
guarded gardened
hardy harden
haughty Houghton
hearted heartened
hearty hearten
heavy heaven
Hughie hewn
levee leaven
levee Leven
levees leavens
levied leavened
levies leavens
levy leaven
levy Leven
looses loosens
Louis loon
lucid loosened
Lucy loosen
Maddy madden
marshes Martians
marshy Martian
passes parsons
patted patterned
patties pattens
patties patterns
patty patten
patty pattern
Percy person
purses persons
pursy person
rashes rations
readies reddens
ready redden
saxes Saxons
seizes seasons
shorted shortened
smarted smartened
sweetie sweeten
sweeties sweetens
toughie toughen
toughies toughens
woody wooden
/l/, 111 pairs
added addled
axes axles
batted battled
batty battle
beady beadle
bevies bevels
bevy bevel
boggy boggle
booty Bootle
Buckie buckle
buses bustles
bushes bushels
bushy bushel
candies candles
candy candle
catty cattle
chances chancels
chancy chancel
chatty chattel
cocky cockle
codded coddled
Corby corbel
dandy dandle
dandies dandles
dotty dottle
druid drooled
eases easels
easy easel
fjord flawed
fjord floored
fosses fossils
funny funnel
girded girdled
gooey ghoul
gooey Goole
gunny gunwale
handed handled
handy handle
herded hurdled
hobbies hobbles
hobby hobble
hooey who'll
hussies hustles
hussy hustle
josses jostles
journey journal
journeys journals
Kenny kennel
kneaded needled
mammies mammals
mammy mammal
marshes marshals
marshy marshal
marshy martial
monarchies monocles
monarchy monocle
mucky muckle
muddied muddled
muddies muddles
muddy muddle
musses muscles
musses mussels
muzzy muzzle
needed needled
needy needle
nesses nestles
netted nettled
oozes ouzels
oozy ouzel
padded paddled
paddies paddles
paddy paddle
passes parcels
pasties pastels
pasty pastel
peruses perusals
petted petaled
petty petal
Phoebe feeble
phooey fool
pommies pommels
pommy pommel
ratted rattled
ratty rattle
rooted rootled
routed rootled
rubies roubles
ruby rouble
ruddy ruddle
runny runnel
sanded sandalled
sandy sandal
started startled
stubby stubble
tacky tackle
tatted tattled
tatty tattle
teases teasels
toddies toddles
toddy toddle
tooted tootled
tresses trestles
tunnies tunnels
tunny tunnel
wadded waddled
wadi waddle
wadis waddles
weeded wheedled
weedy wheedle
wheezes weasels
wheezy weasel
/r/, 2 pairs
fjord fraud
fjords frauds
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