A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning between words. When we speak, our mouth, tongue, and lips work together to produce different phonemes. Each phoneme represents a distinct sound that helps us tell words apart.
Phonemes are divided into two main categories: vowels and consonants. Vowels are produced with an open vocal tract, allowing air to flow freely. Examples include sounds like /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/. Consonants involve some obstruction or constriction in the vocal tract, creating sounds like /p/, /t/, /k/, /s/, and /m/.
Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ by only one phoneme in the same position. For example, 'cat' and 'bat' form a minimal pair, differing only in the first sound: /k/ versus /b/. Similarly, 'pit' and 'bit' differ only in their initial consonants. These pairs demonstrate that phonemes are meaningful units that distinguish words from each other.