| :: esl resource center :: | |
|
|
|
www.eslsite.com
|
Type of activity: This is a minimal pair pronunciation activity in which students have to differentiate between two sounds /i/ and /i:/
Level: Pre-intermediate and above
Teacher's notes:
- Say these words to the students and ask them to tell you what the difference is: ship and sheep.
- The students should see the difference between the long /i:/ sound and the short /i/ sound. Repeat the two words, if they can’t.
- Then tell them that they need to make a path from the top of the word square to the bottom by finding the same sounds in the words. The students can move diagonally, in a straight line but they must go from top to bottom. Also the words must touch; the students cannot jump over words.
- The first it they do this tell them to start with the long /i:/ sound i.e. they should start at SHEEP.
A possible path is: SHEEP, BEAT, HEAT, SHEET, PEEP, SEAT, HE, TEA, KEY, BEE, FEE, SHE
- Once they have done the long /i:/ sound, tell the students to find a path along via the short /i/ sound.
A possible path is: SHIP, SHIN, TIP, PIT, SIT, HIT, PILL, KIT, BIN, FIN
- At the end of the activity, go over the answers and then see if the students can make their own word squares using these two sounds.
WORD SQUARE:
|
SHEEP
|
SHIP
|
HIT
|
BIT
|
|
SHIN
|
BEAT
|
HEAT
|
TIN
|
|
TIP
|
SHEET
|
SEEM
|
MIT
|
|
PIT
|
PEEP
|
PIP
|
PIN
|
|
SIT
|
SEAT
|
SEA
|
ME
|
|
HIT
|
HE
|
HIP
|
PINT
|
|
PILL
|
TEA
|
TREE
|
TRIP
|
|
KIT
|
KEY
|
BEE
|
KNIT
|
|
KILL
|
BIN
|
LINT
|
FEE
|
|
FLEE
|
FIN
|
SHE
|
LIT
|