Minimal Pair /f/ and /v/
as in fan and van
Below is a list of words that vary only by one having the sound /f/ and the other having /v/ in its place.
You can use this list to practise the sounds, or as a list of words to be careful in pronouncing.
/f/ and /v/ are pronounced with the same mouth position of the top teeth biting the bottom lip, but with /f/ pronounced with more air and no use of the voicebox.
Elementary and Pre-Intermediate
fan van
ferry very
leaf leave
off of
Intermediate
fast vast
fat vat
fee V
fine vine
foul vowel
gif give
half halve
life live
proof prove
safe save
Upper-Intermediate
belief believe
fail veil
fear veer
feel veal
fender vendor
grief grieve
staff starve
surf serve
Advanced
calf carve
chaff chav
duff dove
fault vault
feign vain
feign vein
fie vie
file vile
foist voiced
foal vole
fox vox
guff guv
reef reeve
serf serve
skiff skiv
strife strive
waif waive