bill · bell · pill

bill and pill share the same vowel /ɪ/ — only B vs P changes. bill and bell share the same consonant — only the vowel changes.

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Two different contrasts in one set: bill /bɪl/ and pill /pɪl/ share the exact same vowel — only the first consonant changes, B vs P. bill and bell /bɛl/ share the same starting consonant — only the vowel changes.

⠿ reorder

noun — a request for payment, or a piece of paper money — 'pay the bill' · 'a ten dollar bill' · 'a parking bill'

mouth shape

short /ɪ/ — tongue high and forward, mouth nearly closed — like 'bit', 'sit', 'dip' — a quick, clipped vowel

bill

/bɪl/

vowel length

short /ɪ/

⠿ reorder

noun — a hollow metal object that rings — 'doorbell' · 'ring a bell' · 'church bell'

mouth shape

short /ɛ/ — mouth more open than /ɪ/, tongue mid-front — like 'set', 'ten', 'well' — jaw drops slightly more than for bill

bell

/bɛl/

vowel length

short /ɛ/

⠿ reorder

noun — a small tablet or capsule of medicine — 'take a pill' · 'a sleeping pill' · 'the pill' (contraceptive)

mouth shape

same /ɪ/ as bill — only the first consonant changes — /b/ (voiced, lips vibrate) becomes /p/ (voiceless, a puff of air, no vibration)

pill

/pɪl/

vowel length

short /ɪ/

Key difference

bill vs pill: put your fingers on your throat — you should feel it buzz on /b/ but stay silent on /p/ (just a small puff of air). bill vs bell: the vowel opens more — /ɪ/ is a tight, high sound, /ɛ/ drops the jaw a little further.