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Minimal Pairs: /æ/ & /ʌ/

4 Intermediate

Exercise 1
Pronunciation Practice

Practice pronunciation with your teacher by reading the following words.

/æ/ & /ʌ/

campus /ˈkæmpəs/ the buildings and land of a university or college

Noun
We took a short tour through the university campus.

compass /ˈkʌmpəs/ a device that uses magnets to show direction

Noun
The red needle on a compass always shows you where North is.
ankle /ˈæŋkəl/ a joint that connects the foot to the leg
Noun
I think I sprained my right ankle.

uncle /ˈʌŋkəl/
Noun the brother of one's father or mother, or the husband of one's aunt

My uncle is always very kind to me.

crash /kræʃ/ to hit or cause to hit with force

Verb
The car crashed into the pole.

crush /krʌʃ/
Noun a person whom someone is in love with, usually only for a short time

I forced him to tell me who his crush is.

bag /bæg/ a plastic, paper, or leather container used for carrying things
Noun
I bought a new bag today.
bug American /bʌg/ an insect
Noun
I found a bug in my coffee.

mad /mæd/ insane; very angry

Adjective
She was mad because he lied to her.

mud /mʌd/ a soft and sticky mixture of water and dirt

Noun
He got very dirty playing in the mud.

track /træk/ a path or road

Noun
An animal left these tracks in the snow.

truck /trʌk/ large vehicle that carries things from one place to another
Noun
The boxes are being shipped by truck.

paddle /ˈpædəl/ a small pole used for rowing a boat

Noun
Grab the paddle, row faster, and try to chase the alligator away.
puddle /ˈpʌdəl/ a small pool of water on the ground
Noun
I accidentally stepped into a puddle and wet my feet
completely.

rash /ræʃ/
Noun red spots that appear on the skin because of an infection, illness or
allergy

I have a rash all over my body and it is so itchy.

rush /rʌʃ/ to move or act quickly
Verb
We rushed to catch the train but just missed it.

Exercise 2
Sentence Practice

Practice pronunciation with your teacher by reading the following sentences.

This campus is huge. I might need a compass to be able to find my way around it!
 When I sprained my ankle at the game, my uncle rushed onto the field and took
me to the emergency room.
He crashed his car into another parked vehicle because he was staring at his
crush.
Eww! There is a bug on my bag.
My dog is completely mad. As soon as she sees a puddle, she jumps into it and
rolls until she's completely covered in mud.
There was a truck here not long ago. I know because I saw a tire track in the dirt.
He missed kayaking so much that one day I saw him sitting in a puddle with a
paddle in his hands.
I had to rush to the hospital, because my body was suddenly covered in a rash.

Exercise 3
Find the Sounds

Select the word that contains the sound listed below. There can be more than one correct
answer.

Find: /æ/

1. I don't understand how you can think that.

2. My sister is making me go to a fashion show.

3. I went to a stand-up comedy show last night.

4. As a matter of fact, I do want to go on a vacation.

5. I don't understand how anyone can hate chocolate.

Find: /ʌ/

6. I work for a company that makes camping equipment.

7. The test results will be posted on Monday.

8. Atlantis is an imaginary underwater city.

9. They stopped for a cup of tea even though they were late for their flight.

10. His mom was really mad when she saw his pants covered in mud.
 Exercise 4
Tongue Twister

Practice pronunciation with your teacher by reading the following tongue twister(s). Read
each tongue twister slowly at first, then try reading it faster.

Cashed his check, rented a tent he could mend and camped on a patch of grass all
weekend.

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