Minimal Pair final /k/ and /g/

as in back and bag

Below is a list of words that vary only by one ending with the sound /k/ and the other ending with the sound /g/.

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

The difference between /k/ and /g/ is often described as the latter being voiced while the former just uses a release of air (with the mouth position the same). But particularly at the end of words it can be more useful to concentrate on releasing more air with /k/.

Elementary

back bag

Pre-Intermediate

pick pig

Intermediate

clock clog

dock dog

duck dug

frock frog

muck mug

Upper-Intermediate

black blag

block blog

brick brig

broke brogue

buck bug

crack crag

dick dig

jock jog

lack lag

leak league

lock log

luck lug

pluck plug

rack rag

ruck rug

sack sag

smock smog

snack snag

tack tag

Advanced

beck beg

berk berg

chuck chug

cock cog

flock flog

hack hag

hock hog

jack jag

knack nag

prick prig

puck pug

shack shag

slack slag

snuck snug

stack stag

tuck tug

whack wag

wick wig

Written for EnglishClub by Alex Case

Voiced by Jonathan Taylor