It could be argued that none of the pairs below are minimal, since they differ in syllable structure. Vowel /I/ is common as prefix and suffix, which means that it can make an apparent contrast with any consonant which can cluster in such positions, e.g. elide/glide or classy/clasp. It can also contrast with a syllabic consonant, and there are many pairs with /l/ such as catty/cattle, and with /n/ such as passes/parsons. There are a few cases in which a CVC structure is contrasted with a triple consonant cluster, such as serene/screen and monitor/monster.
The largest groups are the pairs contrasting /I/ with /t/, /d/, /s/ and /z/, nearly all accounted for by pairing a –y ending with a plural or past tense.
/p/, 33 pairs Ali alp Alice alps alley alp chummy chump clammy clamp classy clasp dewy dupe dummy dump Elaine plain Elaine plane elate plate elates plates erase praise erase prays erase preys erased praised gammy gamp grassy grasp gullet gulped gully gulp hooey hoop hooey whoop illume plume illumed plumed illumes plumes Lewes loops Lewis loops Louis loop lumme lump rummy rump slummy slump suet souped tammy tamp /b/, 13 pairs Ali alb alley alb alleys albs elude blued erase braes erase braise erased braised erase brays illume bloom illumed bloomed illumes blooms illuming blooming Joey Job /t/, 144 pairs anise ants Annie ant baccy backed basis bastes beefy beefed belly belt Benny bent Bernie burnt Bessie best bookie booked bossy bossed branchy branched Buckie bucked bulky bulked bumpy bumped canny cant chalky chalked chancy chanced cheeky cheeked chirpy chirped choppy chopped classy classed cocky cocked coffee coughed Connie cont cookie cooked cooky cooked coppice Copts copy copped copy Copt cranky cranked creaky creaked dais dates Delhi dealt Denis dents Dennis dents Denny dent dressy dressed ducky ducked ducky duct dumpy dumped earthy earthed erase trays Farsi fast Fawley fault flaky flaked flashy flashed fleecy fleeced floppy flopped fluffy fluffed flunkey flunked Forli fault foxy foxed freaky freaked frothy frothed funky funked fussy fussed gassy gassed glassy glassed glossy glossed goofy goofed grassy grassed greasy greased happy happed harpy harped hockey hocked honey hunt hooey hoot hooky hooked Horley halt horny haunt huffy huffed husky husked Jackie jacked jenny gent Jenny gent jerky jerked Jessie jest jumpy jumped Kenny Kent kopje copped kopje Copt lackey lacked lacy laced leafy leafed leaky leaked Lenny leant Lenny lent Lewis loots Lewis lutes loopy looped Louis loot Louis lute Lucy loosed lumpy lumped many meant massy massed messy messed Morley malt mucky mucked nappy knapped nappy napped Nelly knelt parky parked patchy patched peaky peaked peaky peeked peaky piqued Percy pursed perky perked plucky plucked poppy popped puffy puffed pulpy pulped pursy pursed racy raced recce wrecked rocky rocked rookie rooked runny runt rushy rushed sappy sapped saucy sauced scampi scamped scrappy scrapped scratchy scratched sexy sexed sketchy sketched sloppy slopped smelly smelt snaky snaked snappy snapped sneaky sneaked soppy sopped sorely salt squashy squashed squeaky squeaked sulky sulked swampy swamped swanky swanked Venice vents washy washed waxy waxed Yankee yanked /d/, 118 pairs Annie and any end army armed assembly assembled baggy bagged Batley battled belly belled Benny bend Bernie burned bobby bobbed boggy bogged bonny bond booby boobed boozy boozed breezy breezed bubbly bubbled Buckley buckled budgie budged buggy bugged canny canned chummy chummed clammy clammed cloggy clogged Connie conned coolie cooled corny corned Crawley crawled creamy creamed crumbly crumbled curly curled easy eased edgy edged equally equalled Ernie earned fanny fanned foggy fogged funny fund gluey glued granny grand groovy grooved grubby grubbed gully gulled gummy gummed gunny gunned Hagley haggled Harvey halved hooey who'd Horley hauled horny horned Hughie hewed Hughie hued humbly humbled jaggy jagged jazzy jazzed jelly gelled jemmy gemmed jenny genned Kenny kenned Kirkby curbed knobbly nobbled Lenny lend lobby lobbed lolly lolled many mend moony mooned Morley mauled motley mottled movie moved muggy mugged nervy nerved Netley nettled oozy oozed pally palled palmy palmed parsley parcelled pearly pearled pearly purled Peggy pegged penny penned phooey food plummy plumbed pulley pulled rankly rankled roomy roomed roughly ruffled ruinous rudeness salami salaamed scraggy scragged screwy screwed scrubby scrubbed seamy seamed seamy seemed shaggy shagged shammy shammed slangy slanged slummy slummed smelly smelled smudgy smudged smugly smuggled snugly snuggled sonny sunned spongy sponged squally squalled steamy steamed steely steeled stele steeled stormy stormed straggly straggled stubby stubbed sunny sunned tourney turned tunny tonned unequally unequalled Warley walled weeny weaned wheezy wheezed wobbly wobbled wormy wormed /k/, 15 pairs dewy duke elapse claps Ellie elk elude clewed erase craze erased crazed hussy husk Louis Luke mossy mosque mullet mulct mullets mulcts serene screen sully sulk tally talc tangy tank /g/, 8 pairs elide glide elides glides elude glued erase graze erased grazed erase greys illume gloom illumes glooms /tS/, 13 pairs belly belch Benny bench blarney blanch bunny bunch Connie conch gully gulch honey hunch hooey hooch horny haunch money munch mullet mulched punnet punched rennet wrenched /dZ/, 2 pairs Hughie huge screwy Scrooge /f/, 17 pairs Ali Alf alley Alf Delhi delf elapse flaps elect flecked Ellie elf erase frays erase phrase erased phrased golly golf gooey goof gully gulf hooey hoof illume flume illumes flumes rally Ralph woolly wolf /v/, 7 pairs clayey clave Delhi delve sally salve sallied salved sallies salves solid solved woolies wolves /Z/, 1 pair Louis luge /s/, 161 pairs ante ants arty arts auntie aunts baccy backs batty bats beefy beefs Betty bets bookie books booty boots Buckie bucks bulky bulks bumpy bumps carroty carats carroty carrots catty cats chalky chalks chatty chats cheeky cheeks chirpy chirps choppy chops chunky chunks cocky cocks cocky cox coffee coughs Connie Cons cookie cooks copy cops copy copse crafty crafts cranky cranks creaky creaks creaky creeks creepy creeps Denny dense dewy deuce dotty dots draughty drafts draughty draughts ducky ducks dumpy dumps earthy earths eightpenny eightpence eighty eights Elaine slain elate slate Ellie else elude slewed enough snuff fatty fats faulty faults Fawley false flaky flakes floppy flops fluffy fluffs flunkey flunks forty forts freaky freaks frothy froths fruity fruits frumpy frumps funky funks gawky gawks gooey goose goofy goofs Gorky gawks grotty grots Haiti hates hanky hanks happy haps harpy harps hearty harts hearty hearts hockey hocks hooky hooks huffy huffs inapt snapped Jackie jacks jaunty jaunts jerky jerks jetty jets jumpy jumps junkie junks junky junks Kelty Celts kepi capes knotty knots kopje cops kopje copse lackey lacks lackey lax leafy leafs leaky leaks leaky leeks lengthy lengths lofty lofts loopy loops Louis loose lucky luxe lumpy lumps maggoty maggots matey mates meaty meats meaty meets meaty metes monarchy monarchs monitor monster monitors monsters monkey monks mucky mucks nappy knaps nappy naps natty gnats naughty naughts naughty noughts nutty nuts parky parks party parts patty pats Patty pats peaky peaks peaky peeks peaky pekes peaky piques penny pence perky perks petty pets plucky plucks poppy pops potty pots puffy puffs pulpy pulps puppy pups puttee putts putty putts ratty rats recce Rex recce wrecks rocky rocks rocky rocs rookie rooks shaky shakes shaky sheikhs shaky sheiks shirty shirts tacky tacks tacky tax talkie talks talkie torques tatty tats tenet tensed threepenny threepence toffee toffs toughie toughs treaty treats tuppenny tuppence turkey Turks Warley waltz warranty warrants weighty waits weighty weights Yankee yanks /z/, 264 pairs Amy aims any N's army alms army arms assembly assembles baby babes baggy bags bailey bails bailey bales bandy bands barony barons bastardy bastards Batley battles bawdy bawds bawdy boards beady beads belly belles belly bells Benny bens Bernie burns bloody bloods bobby bobs boggy bogs booby boobs brainy brains brandy brands broody broods bubbly bubbles Buckley buckles buddy buds buggy bugs bully bulls bunny buns cabby cabs caddie cads caddy cads canny cans centrally centrals Charlie Charles chummy chums clammy clams cloggy clogs collie cols commercially commercials Connie cons coolie cools corny corns craggy crags Crawley crawls creamy creams crumbly crumbles cuddly cuddles curly curls curtly kirtles custody custards daddy dads daily dales Debbie debs Delhi dells demagogy demagogues Denny dens dewy dues doggy dogs dolly dolls doubly doubles dreamy dreams early earls Ellie L's Ely eels equally equals Ernie earns Ernie urns faddy fads fanny fans Fawley falls felony felons ferny ferns foggy fogs fondly fondles fuggy fugs gaily Gaels gaily gales galley gals gamy games gaudy gauds generally generals genie genes genie jeans Germany Germans gloomy glooms gluey glues gluttony gluttons goody goods gravy graves greyly grails groovy grooves grubby grubs gully gulls gummy gums gunny guns gutturally gutturals Hagley haggles handy hands Harvey halves heady heads hobby hobs honey Huns hooey who's hooey whose Horley halls Horley hauls horny horns hubby hubs Hughie hews Hughie hues humbly humbles jaggy jags Jeanie genes Jeanie jeans jelly gels jelly jells jemmy gems jenny gens Julie joules jungly jungles Kenny kens Kirkby curbs Kirkby kerbs knobbly nobbles laddie lads leggy legs Lenny lens lobby lobs lolly lolls loony loons Louis loos Louis lose Maggie mags Mamie maims mealie meals meany means meany miens medley medals medley meddles Molly molls moody moods moony moons morally morals Morley mauls motley mottles movie moves muddy muds muggy mugs mummy mums nationally nationals naturally naturals navy knaves navy naves needy kneads needy needs nervy nerves Netley nettles orally orals paddy pads Paddy pads paeony paeans paeony peons pally pals palmy palms parsley parcels pearly pearls pearly purls pebbly pebbles Peggy pegs penny pens Penny pens peony paeans peony peons plaguy plagues plummy plumbs plummy plums Polly polls poly polls pommy poms portly portals possibly possibles probably probables professionally professionals pulley pulls rainy rains rainy reigns rainy reins randy rands rankly rankles ready reds reedy reads reedy reeds roomy rooms roughly ruffles Rudy roods runny runs sadly saddles salami salaams sandy sands scabby scabs scaly scales scraggy scrags screwy screws scrubby scrubs seamy seams seamy seems seedy cedes seedy seeds shady shades shaggy shags shammy shams slangy slangs slavey slaves slummy slums smelly smells smugly smuggles snugly snuggles sonny sons sonny suns speedy speeds squally squalls steamy steams steely steals steely steels steeply steeples stele steals stele steels stormy storms straggly straggles stubby stubs study studs sunny sons sunny suns tabby tabs tangy tangs teddy Teds teeny teens telly tells thorny thorns tourney terns tourney turns trendy trends tubby tubs tunny tons tunny tuns volley vols wadi wads Warley walls wavy waives wavy waves weedy weeds weeny weans Wendy wends wobbly wobbles woody woods woolly wools wooly wools wordy words wormy worms /T/, 3 pairs eighty eighth money month tennis tenths /m/, 4 pairs Ellie elm gluey gloom hooey whom Louis loom /n/, 63 pairs ashy ashen batted battened batty batten Bertie burton butted buttoned corded cordoned corses coarsens courses coarsens covey coven coveys covens coxes coxswains curly Koln cushy cushion dewy dune earthy earthen farces fastens Farsi fasten fatted fattened fatty fatten gaudy Gordon gooey goon guarded gardened hardy harden haughty Houghton hearted heartened hearty hearten heavy heaven Hughie hewn levee leaven levee Leven levees leavens levied leavened levies leavens levy leaven levy Leven looses loosens Louis loon lucid loosened Lucy loosen Maddy madden marshes Martians marshy Martian passes parsons patted patterned patties pattens patties patterns patty patten patty pattern Percy person purses persons pursy person rashes rations readies reddens ready redden saxes Saxons seizes seasons shorted shortened smarted smartened sweetie sweeten sweeties sweetens toughie toughen toughies toughens woody wooden /l/, 111 pairs added addled axes axles batted battled batty battle beady beadle bevies bevels bevy bevel boggy boggle booty Bootle Buckie buckle buses bustles bushes bushels bushy bushel candies candles candy candle catty cattle chances chancels chancy chancel chatty chattel cocky cockle codded coddled Corby corbel dandy dandle dandies dandles dotty dottle druid drooled eases easels easy easel fjord flawed fjord floored fosses fossils funny funnel girded girdled gooey ghoul gooey Goole gunny gunwale handed handled handy handle herded hurdled hobbies hobbles hobby hobble hooey who'll hussies hustles hussy hustle josses jostles journey journal journeys journals Kenny kennel kneaded needled mammies mammals mammy mammal marshes marshals marshy marshal marshy martial monarchies monocles monarchy monocle mucky muckle muddied muddled muddies muddles muddy muddle musses muscles musses mussels muzzy muzzle needed needled needy needle nesses nestles netted nettled oozes ouzels oozy ouzel padded paddled paddies paddles paddy paddle passes parcels pasties pastels pasty pastel peruses perusals petted petaled petty petal Phoebe feeble phooey fool pommies pommels pommy pommel ratted rattled ratty rattle rooted rootled routed rootled rubies roubles ruby rouble ruddy ruddle runny runnel sanded sandalled sandy sandal started startled stubby stubble tacky tackle tatted tattled tatty tattle teases teasels toddies toddles toddy toddle tooted tootled tresses trestles tunnies tunnels tunny tunnel wadded waddled wadi waddle wadis waddles weeded wheedled weedy wheedle wheezes weasels wheezy weasel /r/, 2 pairs fjord fraud fjords frauds
Credit: John Higgins