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P and B aspiration pairs

At the start of a stressed syllable, English P, T and K are aspirated: a puff of air follows the release. B, D and G are not. Without that puff, pin sounds like bin to a native ear even if you voice it correctly. Hold a tissue in front of your mouth and make it move on the P words only.

Accent

15 words · intermediate · your accent and voice are remembered across the site. More options on the settings page.

The words

pin
bin
pat
bat
pear
bear
pack
back
peach
beach
pull
bull
path
bath
punch

More lists like this

Short A sound words
The flat short a in cat, bad and hand. A vowel that does not exist in most other languages.
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SH vs CH sounds
Ship or chip, share or chair. One flows, one starts with a tiny stop. Hear the pairs contrasted.
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NG sound words
The single nasal sound in sing, long and thinking. Not an N plus a G. Hear where the G disappears.
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H sound words
Heart, hungry, behind: the breathy H that many languages drop. Practise keeping it audible.
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Dark L words
The heavy L at the end of full, milk and people. A different sound from the L in the word light.
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Hard consonant clusters
Strength, twelfths, sixths: dense consonant runs with no vowel to help. Hear them said cleanly.
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Show the 15 words

Keep practising

Browse every practice list or the word index, hear two accents back to back on Compare, or test your ear with the listening quiz.

To read the rules behind these words, see the pronunciation guides — including silent letters, word stress and American vs British. Or hear each accent on its own page: American, British, Australian.