The spelling of /d/ in this list is <d> or <dd>. The /g/ sound is spelled <g>, <gg> or <gh> in ghost. Notice how the homograph do makes pairs with go and goo, and the homograph lead makes pairs with league and leg.
The contrast is between two voiced plosives, well separated in the mouth. It is not a problem for learners.
The only taboo word pair is shad/shag.
Interesting pairs include:
Diana Guyana
dramatically grammatically
laddered laggard
odour ogre
order auger
The mean density value is 2.2%. The list makes 144 semantic distinctions, a loading of 54%.
Auden organ bad bag beadle beagle beadles beagles bed beg bedding begging beds begs berg bird bergs birds bid big bidder bigger body boggy brad brag brads brags bud bug budding bugging buds bugs buddy buggy buddies buggies clod clog clods clogs cod cog cods cogs D ghee dab gab dabble gabble dabbled gabbled dabbles gabbles dabbling gabbling dad gad dads gads dado dago dados dagos daily gaily daisies gazes dale Gael dales Gaels dale gale dales gales dally galley dallies galleys dame game dames games damp gamp damps gamps dander gander Dane gain Danes gains dangling gangling dash gash dashed gashed dashing gashing date gait dates gaits date gate dated gated dates gates dating gating daunt gaunt Dave gave daw gore daws gores daws gauze day gay days gays days gaze daze gaze dazed gazed dazing gazing dazes gazes dear gear dears gears dearth girth dearths girths debt get debts gets deign gain deigned gained deigning gaining deigns gains dekko gecko dent Ghent dhoti goatee Di guy Diana Guyana did dig diddle giggle diddled giggled diddles giggles diddling giggling die guy dies guys dying guying dies guise died guide dig gig digs gigs dill gill dirt girt dirty Gertie do go do goo doe go does goes dole goal doles goals doled gold Dolly golly don gone done gun door gore dory gory dosed ghost dosh gosh dot got dote goat dotes goats doubt gout Doug dud Dougal google doughty gouty dove Guv dower Gower down gown downed gowned downing gowning downs gowns drab grab drabber grabber drachm gram drachms grams draft graft drafted grafted drafting grafting drafts grafts drain grain drained grained drains grains dramatically grammatically drape grape drapes grapes dray gray drays grays drew grew drill grill drilled grilled drilling grilling drills grilles drip grip dripped gripped dripping gripping drizzle grizzle drizzled grizzled drizzles grizzles drizzling grizzling drizzly grisly drone groan droned groaned drones groans droning groaning droop group drooped grouped drooping grouping droops groups drove grove droves groves drowned ground drub grub drubbed grubbed drubbing grubbing drubs grubs drudge grudge drudged grudged drudges grudges drudging grudging dudgeon gudgeon duds dugs dull gull dulled gulled dulling gulling dulls gulls dumb gum dummy gummy dun gun dunned gunned dunning gunning duns guns dunk gunk dust gust dusts gusts dusting gusting dusty gusty dustier gustier dustiest gustiest Ed egg eddy eggy erg erred fad fag fads fags feud fugue feuds fugues gad gag gadding gagging gads gags girdle gurgle girdled gurgled girdles gurgles girdling gurgling had hag hod hog hods hogs lad lag lads lags laddered laggard larder laager larders laagers lards Largs lead league leads leagues leading leaguing lead leg leaded legged leading legging Leeds leagues mad mag Maddy Maggie Maud morgue Med Meg modal mogul mud mug mudding mugging muds mugs muddy muggy muddier muggier muddiest muggiest odour ogre odours ogres order auger orders augers order augur orders augurs ordered augured ordering auguring plague played reader Riga redress regress redressed regressed redresses regresses redressing regressing rid rig ridding rigging rids rigs riddle wriggle riddled wriggled riddles wriggles riddling wriggling road rogue roads rogues rode rogue rowed rogue rudder rugger sad sag shad shag straddle straggle straddled straggled straddles straggles straddling straggling stud stung Ted teg Teds tegs thud thug thuds thugs toddle toggle toddles toggles undramatically ungrammatically
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, February 2010.