Pronunciation Practice for Indian speakers of English

Minimal Pairs Worksheet for Indian English Speakers
Objective: Improve phonemic awareness and pronunciation by distinguishing minimal pairs commonly confused by Indian English speakers.
Instructions:
1. Read each pair of words aloud, focusing on the underlined sound difference.
2. Listen to a partner or audio (if available) and circle the word you hear.
3. Practice saying each pair to emphasize the sound contrast.
4. Complete the activities to reinforce learning.
1 Consonant Minimal Pairs
Indian English speakers may confuse voiced and voiceless consonants (e.g., /p/ vs. /b/,/t/ vs. /d/) or sounds like /v/ vs. /w/ due to influences from languages like Hindi,
Tamil, or Bengali, where these distinctions may not exist or are less pronounced.
Minimal Pairs for Practice:
1. /p/ vs. /b/:
• pat / bat
• pin / bin
• pig / big
2. /t/ vs. /d/:
• ten / den
• tip / dip
• tan / dan
3. /v/ vs. /w/:
• vine / wine
• vest / west
• vow / wow
1.1 Activity 1: Circle the Word
Listen to your teacher or partner say one word from each pair. Circle the word you hear.
Example: pat / bat
1. pin / bin 2. ten / den 3. vine / wine
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1.2 Activity 2: Fill in the Blank
Choose the correct word from the pair to complete the sentence. Say the sentence aloud.
1. I saw a (pig / big) in the field.
2. She wore a (vest / west) to the party.
3. The (pin / bin) is full of trash.
2 Vowel Minimal Pairs
Indian English speakers may struggle with vowel length distinctions (e.g., // vs. /i/) or
specific vowel sounds due to fewer vowel contrasts in some Indian languages.
Minimal Pairs for Practice:
1. // vs. /i/:
• ship / sheep
• chip / cheap
• bit / beat
2. /æ/ vs. /e/:
• bad / bed
• hat / hate
• cat / Kate
3. // vs. //:
• cut / cart
• hut / heart
• luck / lark
2.1 Activity 3: Matching
Draw a line to match each word to its correct pronunciation. Practice saying each pair.
Word Pronunciation
ship /ip/
sheep /p/
bad /bed/
bed /bæd/
2.2 Activity 4: Listening Discrimination
Your teacher will say one word from each pair. Write the word you hear.
1. (bit / beat) 2. (hat / hate) 3. (cut / cart)
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3 Interactive Game Minimal Pairs Bingo
Instructions: Create a 4x4 bingo card with one word from each minimal pair (e.g., pin,
ten, vine, sheep). Your teacher or partner will say a word. Mark the word you hear. The first to complete a row wins!
Sample Bingo Card:
pin vine bad cut
ten west bed cart
big wow hat luck
dip sheep Kate lark
4 Production Practice
Instructions: Work with a partner. Take turns saying one word from each minimal
pair. Your partner guesses which word you said. Focus on clear pronunciation of the
target sound.
Example: Say ship or sheep. Your partner responds with the word they heard.
5 Tips for Indian English Speakers
• /v/ vs. /w/: For /v/, your lips should touch your teeth with vibration (e.g.,
vine). For /w/, round your lips without teeth contact (e.g., wine).
• Aspiration: Sounds like /p/, /t/, /k/ in English are aspirated (a puff of air) in
words like pin or ten. Practice holding a tissue in front of your mouthit should
move for /p/ in pin but not for /b/ in bin.
• Vowel Length: Pay attention to short vs. long vowels. For // (ship), the vowel
is short and lax; for /i/ (sheep), its longer and tense.
6 Resources for Further Practice
• EnglishClub Minimal Pairs: Lists and audio for practice.
• Pronunciation Pro: Audio and worksheets for vowel minimal pairs.
• ESL Games: Interactive minimal pairs activities like card games.