Listening: Basic Auditory Perception & Discrimination A2 - Lesson 1: Distinguishing Minimal Pairs (e.g., ship/sheep, pen/pan)

Listening to Similar Sounding Words CEFR Level A2 Lesson Goals In this lesson, you will practice hearing the small but important difference between minimal pairs – words that sound almost the same but have different meanings. Sound Pair 1: Short 'i' /ɪ/ vs. Long 'ee' /iː/ This is a common point of confusion. The trick is in the length of the sound and your mouth shape. For the long 'ee' /iː/ sound: Hold the sound longer and spread your lips wide like you are smiling to say "cheese!" For the short 'i' /ɪ/ sound: The sound is very short and quick. Your mouth and jaw should be relaxed. ship /ɪ/ "I see a big ship on the water." sheep /iː/ "The sheep is white and fluffy." live /ɪ/ "I live in a small house in Siem Reap." leave /iː/ "What time does the bus leave ?" Sound Pair 2: 'e' /ɛ/ vs. 'a' /æ/ For these sounds, think about how much you open your mouth. For the 'e' /ɛ/ sound: Your mouth is relaxed and …