M and N minimal pairs

M and N minimal pairs

The words featured on this page are minimal pairs in that they differ by one sound. In this case it is the M and N sounds. The difference can be at the start of the words (initial sound), in the middle of the words (medial sound), or at the end of the words (final sound).

There are 4 printables with 32 picture flashcards using minimal pairs M and N words. You can use these to play learning games, for matching activities or just rote pronunciation practice. The cards use the minimal pairs with the initial and final sounds.

How to pronounce the M sound

The M sound is voiced meaning that it comes from your vocal chords, you should feel a vibration or buzzing in your throat. With your mouth closed make the sound flow out through your nose.

How to pronounce the N sound

This is similar to the M sound in that it is also voiced and the sound comes through your nose. This time do not close your mouth when you make the sound. Open your lips and put your tongue on the roof of your mouth making sure that it touches the sides of your teeth..

M and N minimal pairs initial sound

mag - nag	mail - nail	man - nan	map - nap
mat - gnat	may - neigh	me - knee	mead - knead
meal - kneel	meat - neat	meter - neater	mice - nice
might - knight	mile - Nile	mill - nil	mine - nine
mitt - knit	moat - note	mob - knob	moo - new
moon - noon	mope - nope	motion - notion	mow - know
mum - numb	mutt - nut	mutter - nutter

M and N minimal pairs medial sound

Amending - unending	clams - clans	combs - cones
dimmer - dinner	gamer - gainer	gummed - gunned
Grammy - granny	scammer - scanner	skimmed - skinned
smacked - snacked	tumor - tuna

M and N minimal pairs final sound

beam - bean	blame - blain	boom - boon	cam - can
came - cane	clam - clan	comb - cone	deem - dean
dim - din	dime - dine	dorm - dawn	dumb - done
fame - feign	foam - phone	game - gain	gleam - glean
gnome - known	gram - gran	grim - grin	gum - gun
home - hone	lime - line	mam - man	meme - mean
same - sane	scam - scan	scream - screen	shim - shin
sim - sin	skim - skin	spam - span	some - son
team - teen	term - tern

Practice sentences

Here are some sentences for practicing the miniml pairs M and N –

The team of teens screamed at the screen.

They are nice mice.

She lives a mile from the Nile.

He got a nail in the mail.

Grin when things are grim.

The meat is neat at the butchers shop.

There is a line on the lime.

Mine are size nine.

Gnomes are known to have naps on maps.

Beans at noon and beams from the moon.

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