Listening A2
Spot the Difference!
Lesson Goals
- Hear the difference between Long and Short vowels.
- Distinguish between "Ship" and "Sheep".
- Distinguish between "Pen" and "Pan".
Welcome to A2 Listening! In English, changing one small sound can change the whole meaning. These are called Minimal Pairs.
1. The Smile vs. The Relaxed Mouth
The words Sheep and Ship sound very similar to Khmer speakers, but distinct to English speakers.
| SHEEP /ʃiːp/ Long Sound. Smile! Pull your mouth back tight. | SHIP /ʃɪp/ Short Sound. Relax your mouth. Don't smile. |
Other pairs: Eat / It, Seat / Sit.
2. The Jaw Drop
The words Pen and Pan confuse many people. The secret is your chin!
| PEN /pɛn/ Small Mouth. Mouth is only a little open. Like a smile. | PAN /pæn/ Big Mouth. Drop your jaw down! Mouth wide open. |
Other pairs: Men / Man, Bed / Bad.
Tip: Muscle Tension
Long Vowels (like Sheep, Eat) usually require muscle tension. Your face feels tight.
Short Vowels (like Ship, It) are lazy. Your face muscles should be soft and relaxed.
Practice Activity: Which one?
Listen to the audio. I will say one word. You must choose the correct one.
- "Look at that big ______." (Ship / Sheep)
- "I need a ______." (Pen / Pan)
- "Don't ______ on the chair." (Sit / Seat)
- "He is a ______ man." (Bad / Bed)
Vocabulary List
- Minimal Pair (noun) /ˈmɪnɪməl pɛr/ [គូពាក្យសូរដូចគ្នា] - Two words that sound almost the same, except for one sound.
- Vowel (noun) /ˈvaʊəl/ [ស្រៈ] - Sounds like A, E, I, O, U.
- Jaw (noun) /dʒɔː/ [ថ្គាម] - The bone at the bottom of your face that moves when you talk.
Your Mission 🎙️
Use your phone to record these tongue twisters. Focus on the difference!
- The sheep is on the ship.
- I have a pen and a pan.
- The man saw men.