Minimal Pair Pronunciation of /ɪ/ and /i/

So many of my ESL students struggle with pronunciation with the short “i” sound ( /ɪ/ in IPA) and the long “e” sound (/i/ in IPA). Being able to say these vowel sounds correctly is critical in allowing native English speakers to be able to understand you. It’s important to get the pronunciation of /ɪ/ and /i/ right!

That’s why I recorded these short (really short!) videos to help you practice the difference between ɪ and i. Just listen to the sounds and repeat after me until you’re happy with your pronunciation.

Ship vs. Sheep

Six vs. Seeks

Itch vs. Each

For more minimal pair pronunciation practice, check out this post on minimal pairs with “l” and “r”.