Pronunciation · Minimal pairs · medium functional load
/e/ vs /eɪ/: pen vs pain
In short
The short pure /e/ and the gliding /eɪ/ separate wet/wait, test/taste and sell/sail. Speakers whose languages have pure vowels often flatten the glide and lose the contrast. This contrast carries a MEDIUM functional load, the contrast separates a fair number of word pairs, so it is worth systematic practice once the high-load contrasts are stable.
How to hear (and make) the difference
/eɪ/ MOVES; it starts at /e/ and glides up towards /ɪ/. Say 'pain' slowly and feel your jaw close during the vowel; on 'pen' nothing moves.
Most challenging for Spanish, Japanese, Italian, Tagalog, Indonesian speakers.
7 minimal pairs with audio
- penpenpainpeɪn
- wetwetwaitweɪt
- testtesttasteteɪst
- sellselsailseɪl
- letletlateleɪt
- pepperˈpepəpaperˈpeɪpə
- getɡetgateɡeɪt
Test your ear
Listening drill
/e/ vs /eɪ/: pen vs pain
/eɪ/ MOVES; it starts at /e/ and glides up towards /ɪ/. Say 'pain' slowly and feel your jaw close during the vowel; on 'pen' nothing moves.
The contrast in sentences
The floor is wet.
The floor is wait.
Don't sell the boat.
Don't sail the boat.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between pen and pain?
pen /pen/ uses the /e/ sound while pain /peɪn/ uses /eɪ/. /eɪ/ MOVES; it starts at /e/ and glides up towards /ɪ/. Say 'pain' slowly and feel your jaw close during the vowel; on 'pen' nothing moves.
Which learners find the /e/ vs /eɪ/ contrast hardest?
It is most challenging for Spanish, Japanese, Italian, Tagalog, Indonesian speakers, whose first languages don't separate these two sounds.