Practice Drills That Work

Reading about minimal pairs is not enough; your mouth needs physical practice to build new sound habits. Three drills can produce real results:

• The mirror drill: alternate a pair ten times while watching your mouth shape change between "ship" and "sheep." The visual feedback links the right mouth position to the right sound.
• The recording test: say both words, record yourself, and play it back. If you cannot hear the difference, return to listening practice first.
• Shadowing: play a native speaker saying the pair and repeat it instantly, copying the sound closely before your brain defaults to the old pattern.