Minimal Pair final /k/ and /g/
as in back and bag
Below is a list of words that vary only by one ending with the sound /k/ and the other ending with the sound /g/.
You can use this list to practise the sounds, or as a list of words to be careful in pronouncing.
The difference between /k/ and /g/ is often described as the latter being voiced while the former just uses a release of air (with the mouth position the same). But particularly at the end of words it can be more useful to concentrate on releasing more air with /k/.
Elementary
back bag
Pre-Intermediate
pick pig
Intermediate
clock clog
dock dog
duck dug
frock frog
muck mug
Upper-Intermediate
black blag
block blog
brick brig
broke brogue
buck bug
crack crag
dick dig
jock jog
lack lag
leak league
lock log
luck lug
pluck plug
rack rag
ruck rug
sack sag
smock smog
snack snag
tack tag
Advanced
beck beg
berk berg
chuck chug
cock cog
flock flog
hack hag
hock hog
jack jag
knack nag
prick prig
puck pug
shack shag
slack slag
snuck snug
stack stag
tuck tug
whack wag
wick wig
