The /æ/ vowel is spelled <a> followed by two consonants or by one consonant in a monosyllable. The normal spelling of the /ɒ/ vowel is <o> but there is one irregular spelling in the list, namely <ou> in cough.
Both vowels are short, but they are well separated in the mouth and are not a problem for any known group of learners.
Taboo words occur in the pairs crap/crop, fag/fog and shat/shot.
Interesting pairs include:
accident Occident
active octave
anna honour
began begone
cancellation consolation
erratic erotic
lariat laureate
valley volley
The mean density is 4.6%. The pairs make 203 semantic contrasts, giving a loading of 46%.
accident Occident accidental Occidental act Oct active octave ad odd add odd adds odds adapt adopt adapted adopted adapting adopting adapts adopts adder odder Ali Ollie anger Ongar Ann on annas honours apposite opposite apposition opposition apt opt as oz attar otter Ave of ax ox Babs bobs backs box bag bog bagged bogged bagging bogging bags bogs baggy boggy ballad bollard ballads bollards ban Bonn bandage bondage banded bonded banding bonding bands bonds bankers bonkers band bond bands bonds banned bond barrow borrow barrows borrows bash Boche bass boss bast bossed batch botch batches botches battle bottle battled bottled battles bottles battling bottling began begone begat begot blab blob blabs blobs black bloc blacks blocs black block blacked blocked blacking blocking blacks blocks blackhead blockhead blackheads blockheads bland blond blander blonder blandest blondest cab cob cabs cobs cache cosh cached coshed caches coshes caching coshing cackle cockle cackles cockles cad cod cads cods cadger codger cadgers codgers caff cough caffs coughs can con canned conned canning conning cans cons cancellation consolation cancellations consolations canker conker cankered conquered cankering conquering cankers conkers canny Connie cant cont cap cop capped copped capping copping caps cops capped Copt Capt Copt Carol coral carols corals carry corrie carries corries cash cosh cat cot cats cots chap chop chapped chopped chapping chopping chaps chops clack clock clacked clocked clacking clocking clacks clocks clad clod clash cloche clashes cloches crack crock cracked crocked cracking crocking cracks crocks crap crop crapped cropped crapping cropping craps crops crass cross Dakar docker dally dolly dallies dollies Dan Don erratic erotic fab fob fag fog fagged fogged fagging fogging fags fogs fallow follow fanned fond flag flog flagged flogged flagging flogging flags flogs flak flock flap flop flapped flopped flapping flopping flaps flops flax flocks gab gob gabble gobble gabbled gobbled gabbles gobbles gabbling gobbling gad God gads gods gaggle goggle gaggles goggles galley golly gang gong ganged gonged ganging gonging gangs gongs gash gosh glacier glossier gnash nosh gnashed noshed gnashes noshes gnashing noshing gnat knot gnats knots gravel grovel gravelled grovelled gravelling grovelling gravels grovels hack hock hacked hocked hacking hocking hacks hocks had hod hag hog hags hogs Halle holly hallow hollow hallowed hollowed hallowing hollowing hallows holloas hank honk hanks honks hap hop happed hopped happing hopping haps hops harried horrid Harwich Horwich hat hot hats hots hatter hotter jab job jabbed jobbed jabbing jobbing jabs jobs jabber jobber jabbers jobbers Jackie jockey jag jog jagged jogged jagging jogging jags jogs Jan John kaffir coffer kaffirs coffers knack knock knacks knocks knacker knocker knackers knockers lab lob labs lobs lack loch lacks lochs lack lock lacked locked lacking locking lacks locks lacquer locker lacquers lockers lads Lodz lag log lagged logged lagging logging lags logs languor longer lap lop lapped lopped lapping lopping laps lops lariat laureate lariats laureates Larry lorry lass loss lasses losses lat lot mac mock macs mocks mad Mod madden modern maddens moderns maddest modest manacle monocle manacled monocled manacles monocles mangle Mongol mangles Mongols map mop mapped mopped mapping mopping maps mops marrow morrow marrows morrows masc mosque mass moss masses mosses massy mossy massier mossier massiest mossiest Max mocks nab knob nabs knobs Nat knot natty knotty nattier knottier nattiest knottiest pack pock packed pocked packs pocks packet pocket packets pockets pad pod padded podded padding podding pads pods pal poll pals polls Pam pom pampas pompous panda ponder pandas ponders pander ponder pandered pondered pandering pondering panders ponders panned pond pap pop pastern postern pasterns posterns pat pot pats pots patted potted patting potting patter potter pattered pottered pattering pottering patters potters patty potty patties potties plaid plod plaids plods plait plot plaited plotted plaiting plotting plaits plots plank plonk planked plonked planking plonking planks plonks platter plotter platters plotters pally Polly pram prom prams proms rack roc racks rocs rack rock racked rocked racking rocking racks rocks racket rocket racketed rocketed racketing rocketing rackets rockets ram rhomb rams rhombs ramp romp ramped romped ramping romping ramps romps rang wrong rat rot rats rots ratted rotted ratting rotting ratter rotter ratters rotters ran Ron sack sock sacks socks sad sod sadden sodden sallied solid salve solve salved solved salves solves salving solving sappy soppy sappier soppier sappiest soppiest scan scone scans scones scat Scot shack shock shacked shocked shacking shocking shacks shocks shad shod shat shot slab slob slabs slobs slag slog slags slogs slagged slogged slagging slogging slap slop slapped slopped slapping slopping slaps slops slash slosh slashed sloshed slashes sloshes slashing sloshing slat slot slats slots slatted slotted smack smock smacking smocking smacks smocks snag snog snagged snogged snagging snogging snags snogs spat spot spats spots spatted spotted spatting spotting spatter spotter spatters spotters splash splosh splashed sploshed splashes sploshes splashing sploshing stack stock stacked stocked stacking stocking stacks stocks stamp stomp stamped stomped stamping stomping stamps stomps strap strop strapped stropped strapping stropping straps strops Taffies toffees Taffy toffee tag tog tagged togged tagging togging tags togs tannic tonic tap top tapped topped tapping topping taps tops tarried torrid tat tot tats tots tatted totted tatting totting tatter totter tattered tottered tatters totters tammy tommy trad trod vacs vox valid volleyed valley volley valleys volleys wrack rock wracked rocked wracking rocking wracks rocksGeographical: Outside English-speaking countries, most visitors are from Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Vietnam, Turkey, Guatemala, Poland, Mexico, Yemen, Norway, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. Average 20 visitors per month.
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, October 2012