The /ʃ/ sound is spelled with <sh> and <ch> in chaise. The /w/ sound is spelled with <w> or <wh>. Notice how the partial homograph Wear/wear makes pairs with shear and share.
This is a contrast between a voiceless alveolar fricative and a voiced bilabial semivowel. It can only occur initially or medially. It is not a problem.
Taboo word pairs include shag/wag, shank/wank and shit/wit.The mean density value is 1.9%. The lists make 74 semantic distinctions, a loading of 54%.
chaise ways chaise weighs chic weak chic week schist whist shack whack shacked whacked shacking whacking shacks whacks shacks wax shade wade shaded waded shades wades shading wading shag wag shagged wagged shagging wagging shags wags shake wake shaken waken shakes wakes shaking waking shale wail shank wank shanks wanks share ware shared wared shares wares share wear sharing wearing shares wears share where shave waive shaved waived shaves waives shaving waiving shave wave shaved waved shaves waves shaving waving shaver waiver shavers waivers shaver waver shavers wavers shawl wall shawls walls she we she wee shear Wear shear weir shears weirs sheared weird sheer Wear sheer weir sheaves weaves shed wed shedding wedding sheds weds shell well shelling welling shells wells shelled welled shelled weld shelter welter sheltered weltered sheltering weltering shelters welters sherry wherry sherries wherries shied wide shield weald shields wealds shield wield shielded wielded shielding wielding shields wields shies Y's shindy windy shine whine shines whines shining whining shine wine shines wines shining wining ship whip shipped whipped shire wire shires wires shirk work shirked worked shirking working shirks works shirker worker shirkers workers shirt wert shoaled wold shod wad shoddy wadi shoe woo shoeing wooing shoes woos shoo woo shoing wooing shoos woos shone wan shop whop shopped whopped shopping whopping shops whops shopper whopper shoppers whoppers shore war shored ward shores wars shoring warring shorn warn short wart shorts warts shorter water shot watt shots watts shot what Shotts watts should wood should would shouldn't wouldn't show whoa show woe shows woes showed woad shun one shuns ones shun won shy Y shy why shyly wily
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, December 2010.