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Vowels 10 and 19, /ʌ/ versus //    24 pairs       

The /ʌ/ vowel is spelled with <u>, <o> in worry and <oo> in blood. The // vowel is spelled <ear>, <air>, <are> and <ar> in Pharaoh.

This is a contrast between a short vowel and a diphthong fairly well separated in the mouth. It does not seem to be a problem for many learners.

The density figure is 2.49%. The set makes 20 semantic contrasts for a loading of 83%.

 

blood blared  
borough bearer
  boroughs bearers 
bud bared 
bun bairn 
  buns bairns
buzz bares 
cud cared 
does dares 
dud dared 
flood flared 
furrow Pharaoh 
  furrows Pharaohs 
fuzz fairs 
hurry hairy 
none Nairn 
nun Nairn
scud scared 
scurry scary 
spud spared 
stud stared  
us airs 
worry wary 
  worrier warier

Credit: John Higgins