Answered

Which of the following is a minimal pair in English?
A. Inside vs. outside
B. Threw vs. through
C. Rice vs. lice
D. Pen vs. penguin
E. Hug vs. huge



Answer :

The correct minimal pair is C. 'Rice vs. lice' because they differ by only a single phoneme, /r/ versus /l/. The other options either differ by multiple phonemes or are homophones.

Minimal Pairs in English

A minimal pair is a pair of words that differ by only a single phoneme and have distinct meanings. In the context of the provided options, the correct answer is:

  • Rice vs. lice

Let's break down why this is the minimal pair among the given options:

  1. A. Inside vs. outside: These words differ by more than one phoneme.
  2. B. Threw vs. through: These words are homophones and do not qualify as minimal pairs since they sound the same.
  3. C. Rice vs. lice: These words differ only in the initial phoneme /r/ versus /l/, making them a minimal pair.
  4. D. Pen vs. penguin: These words differ by more than one phoneme and do not form a minimal pair.
  5. E. Hug vs. huge: These words differ by more than one phoneme.

Hence, Rice vs. lice is the minimal pair because the words differ by a single phoneme, distinguishing their meanings.