Minimal Pair /ʤ/ and /z/

as in page and pays

Below is a list of words that vary only by one having the sound /ʤ/ and the other having the sound /z/.

You can use this list to practise the sounds, or as a list of words to be careful in pronouncing.

/ʤ/ is an explosive sound that is like a voiced version of /ʧ/ and therefore almost like a sneeze and so it is impossible to extend the sound for very long. /z/ is a smooth sound that is a voiced version of /s/ and so can be extended as long as you like.

Elementary

page pays

Pre-Intermediate

cage Ks

siege sees

stage stays

wage ways

wodge was

Intermediate

barge bars

change chains

charge chars

forge fours

fridge frizz

gip zip

Jew zoo

siege Cs

Upper-Intermediate

binge bins

marge Mars

rage raise

rage rays

siege seize

strange strains

tinge tins

Advanced

budge buzz

fudge fuzz

gauge gaze

gorge gauze

grange grains

gauge gays

gunge guns

jag zag

jest zest

jig zig

purge purrs

sarge SARS

singe sins

Written for EnglishClub by Alex Case

Voiced by Jonathan Taylor