Perception, Then Production

Minimal pair training has two phases. Phase one is perception: can you hear the difference? Use online listening exercises where you hear one word and identify which of the pair it is.

The physical approach often works well for production. For ship/sheep, feel how your mouth changes. "Ship" has a relaxed, short vowel — your mouth barely moves. "Sheep" stretches wider and longer. Exaggerate the difference at first, and the right shape can become more intuitive.