Minimal Pairs Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: RF.K.2.d, RF.K.1

Core Standard

We will often come across words that have the same or very similar sounds. Word pairs that vary by just one sound are called minimal pairs. The words can serve a similar purpose such as the words: sit and seat. There are also minimal pairs that completely differ in function such as the words: bad and bed. There are also words that differ in a series of consonants but differ by only one sound such as the words: buy and pie. Understanding how to identify these similar sounds is in many situations helpful for the reader to make sense of the context and as a result it makes it much easier to decipher the correct pronunciation of a word that they are unfamiliar with. These worksheets will help students learn to master the art of minimal pairs.