Minimal pair: Vowels 2 and 12 (schwa), /ɪ/ versus /ə/ 365 pairs (2024)

These are both short vowels and both are common in unstressed positions. Indeed the schwa hardly ever carries stress. Confusions occur even among native speakers. Many of the pairs contrast the -es inflexion with agent plurals such as arches/archers . In some cases I am not sure if a distinction would be made consistently, as in affect/effect , palette/palate and precede/proceed , for instance.

Interesting pairs include:

ammeter amateur
bizarre bazaar
devises divisors
enemies enemas
führers furies
medleys meddlers
sallied salad
whiskeys whiskers

Since both sounds are frequent in the language as a whole, the mean density is low at 1.1%. The number of semantic contrasts is 316, giving a high loading of 87%.

accuses accusers adulteress adulterous adulteries adulterers adventuress adventurousadvertises advertisers advises advisers Ali Allahammeter amateur ammeters amateurs Annie annaannounces announcers arches archers army amah armies amahs armouries armourers assesses assessorsatomizes atomizers avenges avengers badges badgers banted banteredbatted batteredbelly Bella besieges besiegers betted betteredbibliographies bibliographers biographies biographers bizarre bazaar blazes blazers bleaches bleachers boarded borderedboozes boozers botches botchers boxes boxers bruises bruisers buggies buggers bulldozes bulldozers busted bustard butted butteredbuzzes buzzers cadges cadgers canny canna canted canteredcatches catchers challenges challengers charges chargers charted charteredchases chasers chatted chatteredchokeys chokers cities sitterscleanses cleansers clinches clinchers coffees cofferscollies cholers colonizes colonizers comfit comfortcomfits comfortscomposes composers compresses compressorscondenses condensers confesses confessorsConsett concertconveyances conveyancers cookies cookers coolies coolers copied copperedcopies copperscounted counteredcounties counters courses courserscovet covert covets coverts covey cover coveys covers crony kronacross-benches cross-benchers cruises cruisers dances dancers deliveries deliverers Devizes divisorsdickeys dickers discomfit discomfortdiscomfits discomfortsdiscoveries discoverers dispenses dispensers dodges dodgers dollies dollars dory Dora dosses dossers doted dotard douses dowsersdredges dredgers dresses dressers edition addition editions additions educe adduce educed adduced educes adduces educing adducing eerie eraeffect affect effected affected effecting affecting effects affects elide allied elude allude eluded alluded eludes alludes eluding alluding elusive allusive emend amend emended amended emending amending emends amends emission omission emissions omissionsemit omit emits omits emitted omitted emitting omittingenemies enemas enemy enema enquiries enquirers enunciate annunciate enunciated annunciated enunciates annunciates enunciating annunciating enunciation annunciation enunciations annunciations equalizes equalizers erase arrays erases erasers etches etchers exceed accede exceeded acceded exceeding acceding exceeds accedes except accept excepted accepted excepting accepting excepts accepts exchanges exchangers extinguishes extinguishers führers furies faces facers faulted faltered fences fencers fertilizes fertilizers fetid fetteredfishes fishers flatteries flatterers Florrie Flora forges forgers founded founderedfreezes freezers front-benches front-benchers führers furies gammy gamma gatecrashes gatecrashers Georgie Georgia greases greasers griffin griffon griffins griffonsgrosses grocers gushes gushers gutted gutteredhankies hankers harpies harpers him h'm hoaxes hoaxers hooky hookah humid humouredhymn h'm hymned h'mmed hymning h'mming hymns h'ms hyperbole hyperbola hyperboles hyperbolas idolatress idolatrousillusion allusion illusions allusions imminence immanence imminent immanent in 'un incises incisorsindexes indexers instillation installation instillations installations Jeanie Gina Joanie Jonahjuries jurorskepis capers kisses kissers lackeys lacquersladdies ladders lances lancers launches launchers lazes lasers ledges ledgers lighted lighteredliquidizes liquidizers lodges lodgers loses losers lounges loungers lurches lurchers manages managers Marches marchersmashes mashers matted matteredmazes masers medleys meddlers mercies mercers merges mergers minces mincers miry Myra mixes mixers moated motoredmoulded moulderedmovies movers mummies mummers murderess murderousnattily Natalie offices officers oppresses oppressorsorganizes organizers palette palate palettes palates palmy Parma parky parka parleys parloursparry para pasty pasta patted patteredpatties patters perishes perishers perjuries perjurers philosophies philosophers pidgin pigeon pidgins pigeonspillages pillagers pitches pitchers plunges plungers poaches poachers police-offices police-officers polishes polishers poppies poppas poppy poppa poses posers possesses possessors potted potteredpotteries potterers potties potters preaches preachers precede proceed preceded proceeded precedes proceeds preceding proceeding precession procession precessions processionsprescribe proscribe prescribed proscribed prescribes proscribes prescribing proscribing prescription proscription prescriptions proscriptionsprocesses processorsproduces producers professes professorsproposes proposers proprieties proprietorspublishes publishers purchases purchasers purges perjures purses pursers pushes pushers putted putteredputtees puttersraces racers rafted rafteredraises raisers ranches ranchers ranges rangers rashes rashers realties Realtors recces wreckersrefreshes refreshers reproduces reproducers researches researchers resinated resonatedrevises revisers rises risers risky Risca rushy Russia sallied salad satin Saturn sauces saucers scavenges scavengers scented centred scorches scorchers scrounges scroungers searches searchers seduces seducers seizes Caesars silences silencers silly Scylla sillies Scyllas sketches sketchers skirmishes skirmishers smashes smashers snatches snatchers Sophie sofasorceries sorcerers spatted spatteredsplices splicers sponges spongers squeezes squeezers stabilizes stabilizers stages stagers starlit starlet steeplechases steeplechasers stretches stretchers successes successorssummit summat Sundays sunderssupervises supervisorssuppresses suppressorssurplice surplussurplices surplusessympathizes sympathizers talkies talkers tatted tatteredteaches teachers teases teasers teeny Tina tellies tellers tended tenderedthatches thatchers threshes threshers timpani tympanatopis topers torches torturestotted totteredtourneys turnerstraces tracers traduces traducers tranquilizes tranquillizerstransgresses transgressorstreasuries treasurers trenches trenchers trespasses trespassers twitted twittereduses users verges vergers villages villagers vouches vouchers voyages voyagers wages wagers Wally wallahwashes washers watches watchers welshes welshers whiskeys whiskers withies withers womanizes womanizers yogi yoga