A contrast between a consonant and a vowel has a different status from that between two consonants, since the syllable structure and stress pattern are bound to be upset. This applies particularly to such a "consonanty" consonant as /p/. However, since /p/ enters consonant clusters very readily, there will be pairs in which it apparently contrasts with a (usually unstressed) vowel before a consonant, and these might be a problem for learners whose first language has fewer clusters. Such pairs include: crimped cremate, souped suet, sprees cerise, sprees series, spring soaring, yelping yellowing.
Fifteen of the twenty vowel phonemes displayed minimal pairs with /p/. If no contrast is reported below, then no pairs showed up in this dictionary.The largest groups are those involving /ɪ/ and /ə/, which are commonly involved in making inflections and derivations.
/ɪ/ alp Ali alp alley alps Alice chump chummy clamp clammy clasp classy dump dummy dupe dewy gamp gammy grasp grassy gulp gully gulped gullet hoop hooey loop Louis loops Lewes lump lumme plain Elaine plane Elaine plate elate plates elates plume illume plumed illumed plumes illumes praise erase praised erased praises erases prays erase preys erase rump rummy slump slummy souped suet tamp tammy whoop hooey /e/ duped duet plasticity elasticity play LA pricker Erica /æ/ placate allocate placated allocated placates allocates placating allocating prate arête prates arêtes pricker areca prickers arecas /ɑ/ pray RA prey RA /ɒ/ capes chaos pricks oryx prison orison prisons orisons /ɔ/ ping awing prate orate prated orated prates orates prating orating prickle auricle prickles auricles spring soaring /u/ spit suet vamps vamoose /3/ imps immerse /ə/ alp Allah clamp clamour cramp crammer dump dumber gamp gamma gape gayer grape grayer helped helot hoop who're lamps Lammas play allay played allayed playing allaying plays allays plea alee pledge allege pledged alleged pledges alleges pledging alleging plot allot plots allots plotted allotted plotting allotting praise arrays pray array prayed arrayed praying arraying prays arrays pressed arrest prey array preyed arrayed preying arraying preys arrays prison arisen rump rummer skimp skimmer sprees cerise stamp stammer sump summer troop truer troupe truer whoop who're /eə/ beep BA crimped cremate pleat élite pleats élites porter aorta porters aortas /aɪ/ alp ally jeep GI P ie Pam iamb pea ie pee ie ping eyeing plash eyelash plashes eyelashes prate irate preen Irene spam Siam /oɪ/ alp alloy /əʊ/ alp aloe cape KO lap Lao leap Leo ping owing seep CO yelp yellow yelping yellowing /ɪə/ sprees series spring searing /eə:/ plume heirloom plumes heirlooms prate aerate prated aerated prates aerates prating aerating