 English pronunciation exercises with minimal pairs, vowels. Minimal pairs are two words whose pronunciation is different by only one sound, for example, reach and rich, man and main. In this lesson, you're going to practice your pronunciation of similar English words with minimal pairs' exercises. Minimal pair number one, bought, boat, but. The sound in bought is like in the words saw, call and automatic. Notice that this sound can be spelled several different ways. The spelling of English words is often very different from their pronunciation. Repeat after me, bought, saw, call, automatic. The sound in boat is like in the words no, so and slow, boat, no, so, slow. Finally, the sound in but is the same as in cut, what and sun. Repeat, but, cut, what, sun. Now practice all three words together, bought, boat, but. Minimal pair number two, late, let. The vowel sound in late is the same as in the words name, take and ate. late, name, take, ate. The vowel sound in let is like in the words get, pen and best. let, get, pen, best. Now try these minimal pairs, late, let, pain, pen, weight, wet, main, men. Minimal pair number three, bed, bad. Here we have the difference between the eh sound like in bed, head, said and mess, and the ah sound in bad, had, mass, sad and apple. Repeat these minimal pairs, said, sad, bed, bad, mess, mass, head, had. Minimal pair number four, feel, fell, fill. The e in feel is like in see, meet and be. feel, see, meet, be. The ah sound in fell is like in the words egg, wet and better. fell, egg, wet, better. The i in fill is like in will, it, sick and miss. fill, will, it, sick, miss. Now try the minimal pairs, feel, fell, fill. Minimal pair five, luck, look. The sound in luck is like in but, what, bus and fun. luck, but, what, bus, fun. The sound in look is like in took, book and cook. look, took, book, cook. Now try the minimal pair, luck, look. Minimal pair number six, hat, heart, hot. Let's practice the ah sound, hat, cat, back, map. Now practice the r sound, heart, dark, start, park. Now practice the ah sound, hot, knot, body, got. Finally practice the minimal pair, hat, heart, hot. Thanks for watching English Tips from Espresso English. If you liked this video, please share it.