K and G minimal pairs
Here are 32 free printable picture and word cards of the K and G minimal pairs in both the initial and final position. They are perfect to be used in children’s speech therapy and pronunciation activities for ESL learners. You can use the cards for rote repetition practice as well as games such as memory and minimal pair matching.
There is a pronunciation guide below as well as K and minimal pairs word lists and fun practice sentences.
K and G minimal pairs pronunciation guide
To make the K sound start by putting the back of your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Push air through your mouth and quickly lower your tongue as you let the air flow past. Doing this more slowly will give you a quieter sound which is often used in the final position of words. Note that the K sound is not voiced which means you do not use your vocal cords.
The G sound is slightly quieter than the K sound and is voiced. Use the same technique as the K sound but this time, make a vibration in your throat as you do it. Again, releasing the air more slowly will result in a quieter sound.
K and G minimal pairs list (initial sound)
| cab - gab | came - game | cane - gain | cap - gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| cape - gape | card - guard | cash - gash | cave - gave |
| clad - glad | clam - glam | clamour - glamour | class - glass |
| clean - glean | clue - glue | coast - ghost | coat - goat |
| cob - gob | cod - god | cold - gold | come - gum |
| con gone | coo - goo | cord - gored | core - gore |
| cork - gawk | cosh - gosh | cot - got | could - good |
| course - gorse | crab - grab | cram - gram | cramps - gramps |
| crane - grain | crate - grate | craven - graven | craze - graze |
| crease - grease | creed - greed | creek - Greek | crepe - grape |
| crew grew | crime - grime | cripes - gripes | croup - group |
| crow - grow | crowned - ground | crumble - grumble | cuff - guff |
| cull - gull | cunning - gunning | curd - gird | curly - girly |
| cussed - gust | cut - gut | Kay gay | kale gale |
| key - ghee | kill - gill | kilt - guilt | krill grill |
K and G minimal pairs list (final position)
| buck - bug | chuck - chug | flack - flag | frock - frog |
|---|---|---|---|
| hack - hag | jock - jog | lock - log | pick - pig |
| sack - sag | tuck - tug | whack - wag |
K and G minimal pairs practice sentences
You can use these short but fun sentences to practice the K and G sounds together.
She had a frog on her frock.
Don’t grab the crab!
He likes crepes with grapes.
The glue was a clue.
A goat ate my coat.
There is gold in the cold Greek creek.
Crows grow in the grain near the cranes.
Put the crate next to the grate.
Does a cod have a god?
There is a ghost on the coast.
More minimal pairs
If you look in the pronunciation section of ESL Vault, you will find lots of other similar articles with different minimal pairs.
There you will also find some interesting minimal pairs listening activities for you to download.
