Minimal Pair final /ŋk/ and /ŋ/
as in think and thing
Below is a list of words that vary only by one ending with the sound /ŋk/ and the other ending with the sound /ŋ/.
You can use this list to practise the sounds, or as a list of words to be careful in pronouncing.
The biggest difference between these two is that /ŋk/ is two sounds ending with a final release of air with the /k/ sound, whereas /ŋ/ is a single sound that is slightly different to /n/ and /m/ with the sound being made with a raised back of the tongue.
Elementary / Pre-Intermediate
bank bang
brink bring
hank hang
pink ping
rink ring
think thing
Intermediate
hunk hung
kink king
rank rang
sink sing
Upper-Intermediate
blink bling
dunk dung
monk mung
sank sang
