Back to course

Core minimal pairs

Core minimal pairs for /aɪ/

/aɪ/ glides from low-central /a/ up to /ɪ/. In Southern US, it often monophthongizes to [aː].

Practice these minimal pairs carefully. If the pair sounds the same in your recording, you're not making the contrast.

Your goal

  1. Say each pair slowly first — exaggerate the difference.
  2. Then say each pair at natural speed with the contrast preserved.
  3. Record and self-check.
//PRICE diphthongArticulator diagram · regional variants · drill ↗

Listen Across Accents

Tap an accent to hear each example. Audio is generated on demand and cached.

right
light
white

Your Turn — 4 exercises

Record yourself and get instant AI pronunciation feedback. Free account required.

Start free 14-day trial
Core minimal pairs — Master the /aɪ/ vowel — PRICE