/i/ vs /ɪ/—Your Free Guide
The /i/ and /ɪ/ sounds are two common vowel sounds in English, and they can be
challenging to distinguish for many English language learners. Both sounds are
produced in the front part of the mouth, but they involve different positions of the
tongue and the mouth, which create distinct sounds.
Let's start with /i/, often represented in words like "see", "tree", and "bee". When
you pronounce /i/, the front part of your tongue should be high in your mouth
(close to your hard palate), and your lips should be spread apart in a smile. This
sound is typically longer and has a sharp, clear quality.
On the other hand, /ɪ/ is a more relaxed and shorter sound, found in words like
"sit", "pin", and "bit". For this sound, your tongue should be in the front of your
mouth but slightly lower than for /i/. Your mouth won't be as wide as it is for /i/,
instead, your lips will be more relaxed, and you might feel like you're making a bit
of a 'grossed-out' face.
To practice distinguishing these two sounds, you could take a pair of words like
”feet" (/i/) and ”fit" (/ɪ/). Repeat these words and pay attention to the position of
your tongue and your mouth shape. The more you practice, the more comfortable
you'll become with these sounds, and the more naturally they'll come to you in
your speech. Let’s practice some more of these on the next page.
feet (fit)
fit (fɪt)
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/i/ vs /ɪ/ Minimal Pairs
A minimal pair is two words that sound almost the same, but have one small sound
that is different. The first word in each pair has the /ɪ/ sound, while the second
word contains the /i/ sound. Remember to pay close attention to the difference in
mouth position and sound as you practice.
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Easy:
bin bean
chip cheap
his he’s
it eat
sit seat
did deed
fill feel
fit feet
grin green
hit heat
is ease
mitt meet
slip sleep
still steal
Intermediate:
bit beat
itch each
gin gene
grid greed
hid heed
hill he’ll
ill eel
kip keep
knit neat
lick leak
lip leap
mill meal
pick peek
piss piece
pitch peach
risen reason
sick seek
sin scene
still steel
tin teen
bid bead
biz bees
chick cheek
chit cheat
dip deep
fist feast
fizz fees
hip heap
kid keyed
pill peel
pip peep
sill seal
skid skied
skim scheme
till teal
Difficult:
blip bleep
crick creek
din dean
finned fiend
flit fleet
grist greased
pit peat
sim seam
sip seep
shin sheen
skit skeet
slick sleek
slit sleet
tick teak
tit teat
tizz tease
britches breeches
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/i/ vs /ɪ/ Tongue Twister
A tongue twister is a phrase or sentence that is difficult to say quickly because it has
similar or repetitive sounds. People use tongue twisters to practice pronunciation
and improve their speaking skills. They can be fun to say, but they can also be
challenging.
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Cheap chips are neat to eat, but Pete feels the heat, his
seat in the tin bin is a bit stiff.
At the creek, sleek sheep sleep, while a teeny green beetle
seeks heat on a leaf. Sip a bit of tea, feel the peace, don't
slip on the steep pitch, Pete!
The fleet feet of Kit beat a swift retreat, her mitts full of
sweet ripe figs. Pick a lick of ice cream, it's a dream on a
stick, don't let it drip on the chic, shiny sheet!
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/i/ vs /ɪ/ Short Story
The story below will give you one last chance to practice the /i/ vs /ɪ/ sounds. You
will also find a vocabulary list on the following page. Once you have become
comfortable reading this guide with me, make sure to try reading it on your own. I
hope you found this helpful. Enjoy the story!
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Once, there lived a woman named Eve. Eve was no ordinary woman. She had nifty feet,
capable of incredible feats. Every day, Eve practiced her nimble footwork, from intricate
dance steps to high-wire walking.
In the bustling city of Leeds, there was a peculiar event that took place each year called
"The Fifty Pete Feet Meet." In this curious gathering, fifty men, all coincidentally named
Pete, would line up back-to-back while locals tried to tread across their linked bodies.
This event was initially a simple bit of fun, but it had grown into a major city spectacle,
attracting crowds from far and wide.
When Eve heard about the "Fifty Pete Feet Meet," she felt a quick beat in her heart. It
was an intriguing challenge that her nimble feet were itching to tackle. After a brief
meeting with the organizing committee, Eve was in!
On the day of the event, Eve woke to the sweet chirping of birds. She hopped out of her
seat and quickly slipped into her sleek, chic dancing gear, ready to face the day. She
walked through the city streets, her feet keeping time with the rhythm of the rising city.
At the event, fifty Petes lay in a neat line, their grins beaming up at her. The crowd
hushed as Eve approached the start. She took a deep breath, and focusing on the feeling
of the earth beneath her feet, she stepped onto the first Pete.
Incredibly, she moved from Pete to Pete, her nimble feet barely making a sound. The
Petes beneath her were surprisingly comfortable, their bodies firm like a row of
mattresses in a discount shop. She stepped and hopped, her feet prancing in a dance as
graceful as the leap of a gazelle. She was a spectacle, a vision of balance and grace. The
crowd held its collective breath.
And then, before anyone knew it, Eve stepped off the fiftieth Pete, landing lightly on the
green grass. The crowd erupted in cheers. Eve, the woman with the nifty feet, had just
walked over fifty men named Pete without missing a beat!
That night, as Eve returned to her tiny, neat home, she reflected on her achievement.
With every step she took, she remembered a Pete's face. She felt a sense of pride in her
achievement and grinned at the ridiculousness of it all. The story of Eve and the fifty
Petes became a bit of local lore, a legend that was retold every year at the "Fifty Pete Feet
Meet.”
And so, Eve, with her nifty feet, had stepped into history, one Pete at a time.
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Vocabulary
Ordinary - with no special or distinctive features; normal.
Nifty - particularly good, skillful, or effective.
Feats - achievements that require great courage, skill, or strength.
Nimble - quick and light in movement or action; agile.
Footwork - the movement or action of the feet, especially in a particular sport or dance.
Intricate - very complicated or detailed; elaborate.
Dance - a series of movements that match the rhythm and beat of music.
Steps - single complete movements of placing one foot in front of the other.
High-wire - relating to or performed on a wire or rope high above the ground, especially as a circus act.
Peculiar - strange or odd; unusual.
Event - a planned public or social occasion.
Coincidentally - happening by chance at the same time or in the same way.
Line up - stand or be arranged in a line.
Locals - people who live in a particular area or neighborhood.
Tread - walk in a specified way; step.
Linked - joined or connected together.
Initially - at first; originally.
Simple - easy to understand, do, or carry out; not complicated.
Bit - a small piece or quantity of something.
Major - important, serious, or significant.
Spectacle - a visually striking performance or display.
Attracting - causing someone to be interested in something; drawing attention.
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