Consonants /p/ versus /k/: 1,009 pairs     [patcat.html]

The spelling of /p/ is either <p> or <pp>. The /k/ sound is spelled in many ways in this list, <c>, <k>, <ck> after short vowels, <kh> in sheikh, <qu> in toque and queue, and <ch> in ache. The last of these can give rise to spelling pronunciations.

The two sounds are fairly far apart in the mouth, but both have an unreleased allophone in syllable-final position which may be difficult to distinguish.

There are several pairs involving rude words: cop/cock, crap/crack, dip/dick, pee/key, piss/kiss, and punt/cunt.

Interesting pairs include

contraption contraction
deepen deacon
pamper camper
pander candour
parcel castle
partridge cartridge
peppery peccary
populate copulate
powered coward
supper succour
whisper whisker

The mean density value is 5.8%. The list makes 464 semantic distinctions, a loading of 46%.
ape ache 
  aped ached 
  apes aches 
  aping aching 
apse ax 
  apses axes
apt act 
apter actor 
ash-pan ash-can 
  ash-pans ash-cans 
beep beak 
  beeps beaks 
bleep bleak 
burp burke 
  burped burked 
  burping burking 
  burps burkes 
cape cake 
capes cakes 
cheap cheek 
cheep cheek
  cheeped cheeked 
  cheeping cheeking 
  cheeps cheeks 
chip chick 
  chips chicks 
chop choc
  chops chocs
chop chock
  chopped chocked 
  chopping chocking 
  chops chocks 
clap clack 
  clapped clacked 
  clapping clacking 
  claps clacks 
clip click 
  clipped clicked 
  clipping clicking 
  clips clicks 
contraption contraction 
  contraptions contractions 
cop cock 
cope coke 
  coped coked 
  coping coking 
  copes cokes
copes coax 
copper cocker 
  copped cocked
  coppers cockers 
  copping cocking 
  cops cocks 
copses coxes 
Copt cocked
copy cocky 
copyist cockiest 
Corp Cork 
corpse calks 
corpus caucus 
cr^epe crake
crap crack 
  crapped cracked 
  crapping cracking 
  craps cracks 
creep creak 
  creeping creaking 
  creeps creaks 
creepy creaky 
  creepier creakier 
  creepiest creakiest 
crop crock 
  cropped crocked 
  cropping crocking 
  crops crocks 
crypt cricked 
dapper Dacca
dapper Dakar 
deception dissection 
  deceptions dissections
deepen deacon 
  deepens deacons 
dep deck
depot dekko 
dip Dick 
dipper dicker 
  dippers dickers 
dispose discos
drape drake 
  drapes drakes 
dupe duke 
  dupes dukes 
flap flak 
flaps flax 
flip flick 
  flipped flicked 
  flipper flicker 
  flippers flickers 
  flipping flicking 
  flips flicks 
flop flock 
  flopped flocked 
  flopping flocking 
  flops flocks 
flops phlox
fops fox
gawp gawk 
  gawps gawks 
grippe Greek
  grippes Greeks 
hap hack 
  happed hacked 
  happing hacking 
  haps hacks 
harp hark 
  harped harked 
  harping harking 
  harps harks 
hep heck 
hip hick 
  hips hicks 
hop hock 
  hopped hocked 
  hopping hocking 
  hops hocks 
hopes hoax 
inapt enact
inculpate inculcate 
  inculpated inculcated 
  inculpates inculcates 
  inculpating inculcating 
intercept intersect
  intercepted intersected
  intercepting intersecting
  interception intersection
  interceptions intersections
  intercepts intersects
jape Jake 
japes jakes 
kip kick 
  kipped kicked 
  kipping kicking 
  kips kicks 
knap knack 
  knaps knacks 
knickers nippers 
lap lack 
  lapped lacked 
  lapping lacking 
  laps lacks 
laps lax
lapse lacks
lapse lax
leap leek 
  leaps leeks
leap leak
  leaped leaked 
  leaping leaking 
  leaps leaks 
lip lick 
  lipped licked 
  lipping licking
  lips licks 
loop Luke
lop loch 
  lops lochs 
lop lock
  lopped locked 
  lopping locking 
  lops locks
map mac 
  maps macs
maps max 
mop mock 
  mops mocks 
  mopped mocked 
  mopping mocking 
mope moke 
  mopes mokes 
nap knack
  naps knacks
nip nick
  nipped nicked 
  nipping nicking 
  nips nicks 
nippers knickers
nipple nickel 
  nipples nickels 
nips nix
open oaken 
opt Oct 
overproud overcrowd 
P key 
  P's keys
P quay
  P’s quays
pa car
pace case 
  paced cased 
  paces cases 
  pacing casing 
pad cad 
  pads cads 
paddy caddie
  paddies caddies
page cage 
  paged caged 
  pages cages 
  paging caging 
pah car
pail kail 
pain Cain
pain cane
  pained caned 
  paining caning 
  pains canes 
pair care 
  paired cared 
  pairing caring 
  pairs cares 
pale kail
pall call
  palled called 
  palling calling 
  palls calls 
pall caul
palls cauls
pallor Calor
palm calm 
  palmed calmed 
  palming calming 
  palms calms 
palmer calmer 
  palmers karmas 
palmer karma
  palmers karmas
palmist calmest 
Pam cam
pampas campus 
pamper camper 
  pampers campers 
pan can
  panned canned 
  panning canning 
  pans cans
panda candour
pander candour
pane cane
  panes canes
pannier cannier 
pant cant 
  panted canted 
  panting canting 
  pants cants 
panto canto 
  pantos cantos 
pap pack 
paper caper 
  papered capered 
  papering capering 
  papers capers 
par car 
  pars cars
parcel castle 
  parcelled castled 
  parcelling castling 
  parcels castles 
pare care
  pared cared
  pares cares
  paring caring
park carp 
  parked carped 
  parking carping 
  parks carps 
parky khaki 
parley Cali 
Parma calmer
Parma karma
parr car
  parrs cars
parry carry
  parried carried 
  parries carries 
  parrying carrying 
parrot carrot
  parrots carrots
parrot carat 
  parrots carats 
parrs cars 
parry Carrie 
parse cars
part cart 
  parted carted 
  parting carting 
  parts carts
partridge cartridge 
  partridges cartridges 
passed cast 
passed caste
past cast
  pasts casts
past caste
  pasts castes 
paste cased
pastor caster 
  pastors casters 
pastor castor
  pastors castors
pat cat
  pats cats
patch catch
  patches catches 
  patching catching 
patchy catchy 
  patchier catchier 
  patchiest catchiest 
pate Kate 
patty catty
Paul call
  Paula caller
Paul caul
pauper porker
  paupers porkers
pause cause 
  paused caused 
  pauses causes 
  pausing causing 
pause caws
pause cores
pause corps
pave cave 
  paved caved 
  paves caves 
  paving caving 
paw caw 
  pawed cawed 
  pawing cawing 
  paws caws
paw core
  pawed cored
  paws cores
paw corps
  paws corps
pawed chord
pawed cord
pawl call
  pawls calls
pawl caul
  pawls cauls
pawn corn 
  pawned corned 
  pawning corning 
  pawns corns 
paws cause
pay K 
  pays K's 
pay Kay
pea key
  peas keys
pea quay
  peas quays
peal keel
  pealed keeled
  pealing keeling
  peals keels
pear care
  pears cares
pearl curl
  pearled curled 
  pearling curling 
  pearls curls 
pearly curly 
  pearlier curlier 
  pearliest curliest 
pease keys
pease quays
pecked kept 
pee key
  peed keyed
  peeing keying
  pees keys
pee quay
  pees quays
peel keel
  peeled keeled
  peeling keeling
  peels keels
peep peak 
  peeped peaked 
  peeping peaking 
  peeps peaks 
peg keg
  pegs kegs 
pelt Celt 
  pelts Celts 
pen ken 
  penned kenned 
  penning kenning 
  pens kens 
Penny Kenny 
pep peck 
  pepped pecked 
  pepping pecking 
  peps pecks 
pepper pecker 
  peppers peckers 
peppery peccary 
peptic pectic 
per cur 
perk kirk 
  perks kirks 
permission commission 
permit commit 
  permits commits 
  permitted committed 
  permitting committing 
permute commute 
  permuted commuted 
  permutes commutes 
  permuting commuting 
perry Kerry 
pert curt 
  pertly curtly 
  pertness curtness 
petal kettle 
  petals kettles 
pew Q 
  pews Q's 
pew cue
  pews cues
pew queue
  pews queues
pewter cuter 
pill kill
  pills kills
pillar killer
  pillars killers
pin kin
pine kine 
pined kind 
ping king
  pings kings 
pink kink 
  pinked kinked 
  pinking kinking 
  pinks kinks 
pip pick 
  pipped picked
  pipping picking
  pips picks
pipe pike 
  pipes pikes 
pipette piquet
piss kiss
  pissed kissed
  pisses kisses
  pissing kissing
pit kit
  pits kits
  pitted kitted
  pitting kitting
pitch kitsch
pith kith
pity kitty
  pitied kitted
  pities kitties
plaid clad 
plan clan
  plans clans
plank clank 
  planked clanked 
  planking clanking 
  planks clanks 
plaque clerk 
  plaques clerks 
plash clash 
  plashed clashed 
  plashes clashes 
  plashing clashing 
platter clatter 
  platters clatters 
play clay 
pleat cleat 
  pleats cleats
pliant client 
plod clod 
  plods clods 
plop clock 
  plopped clocked 
  plopping clocking 
  plops clocks 
plot clot
  plots clots 
  plotted clotted 
  plotting clotting 
ploughed cloud 
ploy cloy 
  ploys cloys 
pluck cluck 
  plucked clucked 
  plucking clucking 
  plucks clucks 
plump clump 
  plumped clumped 
  plumping clumping 
  plumps clumps 
plunk clunk 
  plunks clunks 
poach coach
  poached coached 
  poaches coaches 
  poaching coaching 
pocks cocks
pocks cox
pocked cocked 
pod cod 
  podded codded 
  podding codding 
  pods cods 
poke coke 
  poked coked 
  pokes cokes 
  poking coking 
polar cola
pole coal
  poled coaled
  poles coals
pole kohl
poll coal
  polled coaled 
  polling coaling 
  polls coals
poll col 
  polls cols 
poll kohl
pollard collared 
polled cold
polling-station coaling-station 
  polling-stations coaling-stations 
Polly collie
poly collie
  polys collies 
pond conned 
pone cone 
  pones cones 
pony coney 
  ponies coneys 
pooh coo 
pooh coup
pool cool
  pooled cooled 
  pooling cooling 
  pools cools 
poop coop 
poops coops 
pop cop
  popped copped
  popping copping
  pops cops
pop pock 
  popped pocked 
  pops pocks 
Pope coke
  Popes cokes
Popes coax
poppa copper
  poppas coppers 
poppet pocket 
  poppets pockets 
poppy copy 
  poppies copies 
populate copulate 
  populated copulated 
  populates copulates 
  populating copulating 
  population copulation 
  populations copulations 
pore caw
  pored cawed
  pores caws
pore core 
  pored cored
  poring coring 
  pores cores
pore corps
  pores corps
pores cause
pored chord
pored cord
pork cork 
porn corn
porous chorus 
porpoise corpus 
  porpoises corpuses 
port caught 
port court
  ported courted 
  porting courting 
  ports courts
portion caution
  portioned cautioned
  portioning cautioning
  portions cautions
portly courtly 
poses cosies 
posh cosh 
  poshed coshed
  poshes coshes 
  poshing coshing 
posset cosset 
  possets cossets 
post coast 
  posted coasted 
  posting coasting 
  posts coasts 
postal coastal 
poster coaster 
  posters coasters 
posy cosy 
  posies cosies
pot cot 
  pots cots 
pottage cottage 
  pottages cottages 
potter cottar 
  potters cottars 
pouch couch 
  pouched couched 
  pouches couches 
  pouching couching 
pour caw
  poured cawed
  pours caws
pour core
  poured cored
  pouring coring
  pours cores
pour corps
  pours corps
poured chord
poured cord
pours cause
power cower 
  powered cowered
  powering cowering 
  powers cowers 
powered coward 
praise craze 
  praised crazed 
  praises crazes 
pram cram 
  prams crams 
prank crank 
  pranks cranks 
prate crate 
  prated crated 
  prates crates 
  prating crating 
prays craze
preacher creature 
  preachers creatures 
Pres Cres 
press cress 
pressed crest 
preys craze
priced Christ 
prick crick 
  pricking cricking 
  pricks cricks 
pride cried 
priest creased 
prime crime 
  primed crimed 
  primes crimes 
  priming criming 
primp crimp 
  primped crimped 
  primping crimping 
  primps crimps 
prior crier 
  priors criers 
prise cries
pristine Christine 
prize cries
pro crow 
prone crone 
prop crop 
  propped cropped 
  propping cropping 
  props crops 
proper cropper 
props prox
pro crow
  pros crows 
prose crows
prosier crozier 
proud crowd 
Pru crew
prude crewed 
prude crude
prune croon 
  prunes croons 
  pruned crooned 
  pruning crooning 
  pruners crooners 
pry cry 
  prying crying 
  pries cries
  pried cried
pub cub 
  pubs cubs 
pubic cubic 
pud could 
puddle cuddle 
  puddled cuddled 
  puddles cuddles 
  puddling cuddling 
puff cuff 
  puffed cuffed 
  puffing cuffing
  puffs cuffs 
pukka cuppa 
punning cunning 
punt cunt 
  punts cunts 
pup puck 
  pups pucks 
pur_ee cur_e 
  pur_ees cur_es 
pure cure 
purl curl
  purled curled
  purling curling
  purls curls
purlieus curlews 
purr cur
  purrs curs 
purred curd 
purse curse 
  pursed cursed 
  purses curses 
  pursing cursing 
pus cuss 
putt cut 
  putts cuts 
  putter cutter 
  putters cutters 
  putting cutting 
quip quick 
rap rack 
  rapped racked
  rapping racking
  raps racks
rap wrack
rape rake 
  raped raked 
  rapes rakes 
  raping raking 
rapt racked
reap reek
  reaped reeked
  reaping reeking
  reaps reeks
reap wreak
  reaped wreaked
  reaping wreaking
  reaps wreaks
relapse relax
  relapsed relaxed
  relapses relaxes
  relapsing relaxing
rep wreck
  reps wrecks
reps Rex 
rip rick 
  ripped ricked 
  ripping ricking 
  rips ricks 
ripe Reich 
sap sac 
  saps sacs
sap sack
  sapped sacked 
  sapping sacking 
  saps sacks 
saps sax
sceptre sector
  sceptres sectors
sculpt skulked 
seep seek 
  seeping seeking 
  seeps seeks
seep Sikh
  seeps Sikhs 
Sept sect
shape shake 
  shapes shakes 
  shaping shaking 
shape sheikh
  shapes sheikhs
sharp shark 
  sharps sharks 
sheep chic
shop shock 
  shopped shocked 
  shopper shocker 
  shoppers shockers 
  shopping shocking 
  shops shocks 
sip sic 
sip sick
  sipped sicked 
  sipping sicking 
  sips sicks 
sips six
slap slack 
  slapped slacked 
  slapping slacking 
  slaps slacks 
sleep sleek 
  sleeping sleeking 
  sleeps sleeks 
sleeper sleeker 
slip slick 
  slips slicks 
slipper slicker 
  slippers slickers 
snap snack 
  snaps snacks 
snip snick 
  snipped snicked 
  snipping snicking 
  snips snicks 
snoop snook 
  snoops snooks 
snooper snooker 
  snoopers snookers 
soap soak 
  soaped soaked 
  soaping soaking 
  soaps soaks 
sop Soc
sop sock 
  sopped socked 
  sopping socking 
  sops socks 
spa scar
  spas scars
Spain skein 
span scan 
  spanned scanned 
  spanning scanning 
  spans scans 
spanner scanner 
  spanners scanners 
spar scar 
  sparred scarred 
  sparring scarring 
  spars scars 
spare scare 
  spared scared 
  spares scares 
  sparing scaring 
spat scat 
spate skate 
  spates skates 
spatter scatter 
  spattered scattered 
  spattering scattering 
  spatters scatters 
spawn scorn 
  spawned scorned 
  spawning scorning 
  spawns scorns 
speed ski'd
spew skew 
spill skill
  spilled skilled
  spills skills
spin skin 
  spinning skinning 
  spins skins 
spinney skinny 
spirt skirt 
  spirted skirted 
  spirting skirting 
  spirts skirts 
spit skit 
  spits skits
spittle skittle 
spool school 
  spools schools 
spore score 
  spores scores 
spot Scot 
spots Scots 
spouse scows 
spout scout 
  spouted scouted 
  spouting scouting 
  spouts scouts 
sprawl scrawl 
  sprawled scrawled 
  sprawling scrawling 
  sprawls scrawls 
spree scree 
  sprees screes 
spud scud 
  spuds scuds 
spunk skunk 
spy sky 
  spied skied 
  spies skies 
  spying skying 
stop stock 
  stopped stocked 
  stops stocks 
stopping stocking 
  stoppings stockings 
stripe strike 
  stripes strikes 
stripped strict 
sup suck 
  supped sucked 
  supping sucking 
  sups sucks 
supper succour 
  suppers succours 
supper sucker
  suppers suckers
supple suckle 
tap tack 
  tapped tacked 
  tapping tacking 
  taps tacks 
tape take 
  tapes takes 
  taping taking 
taper taker 
  tapers takers 
tapir taker
  tapirs takers
tapped tact
taps tax
tip tic 
  tips tics
tip tick
  tipped ticked 
  tipping ticking 
  tips ticks 
tippet ticket 
  tippets tickets 
tipple tickle 
  tippled tickled 
  tippler tickler 
  tipplers ticklers 
  tipples tickles 
  tippling tickling 
tope toque
  topes toques
torpor talker 
  torpors talkers 
trap track 
  trapped tracked 
  trapper tracker 
  trappers trackers 
  trapping tracking 
  traps tracks 
trapped tract
trip trick 
  tripped tricked 
  tripping tricking 
  trips tricks 
triple trickle 
  tripled trickled 
  triples trickles 
  tripling trickling 
tup tuck 
  tups tucks 
turps Turks 
type tike 
  types tikes 
warp walk 
  warped walked 
  warping walking 
  warps walks 
weep weak 
weep week
  weeps weeks 
whelp whelk 
  whelps whelks 
whip wick
  whips wicks
whippet wicket
  whippets wickets
whisper whisker 
  whispered whiskered 
  whispers whiskers 
wisp whisk 
  wisps whisks 
wispy whiskey 
wrap rack
  wrapped racked
  wrapping racking
  wraps racks
wrap wrack
yap yak
  yaps yaks

John Higgins, Shaftesbury, January 2010.