minimal pairs

What do you understand by the term 'minimal pairs' Provide 2 examples of minimal pairs in English

Define minimal pair
Minimal pair is a set of words that are nearly the same but is differing in one sound.
for eg : mat /maet/ pat /paet/ /p/ and /m/ are different phonemes of english

Characteristics of minimal pair

1) from a set of minimal pair, we can able to show the existence of 2 phonemes

for eg:
bag /baeg/ and tag /taeg/
/b/ and /t/ are different phonemes of english

2) sounds that differ in a minimal pair need not always be in the initial position

for eg:
bag /baeg/ back /baek/
/g/ and /k/ are different phonemes of english
met /met/ and mat /maet/
/e/ and /ae/ are different phonemes of english

3) minimal pairs can show different consonants as well as vowels

For eg :
bit /bIt/ and beat /bi:t/
/I/ and /i:/ are a minimal pair of different vowels of english
pit /pIt/ bit/bIt/
/p/ and /b/ are a minimal pair of different consonants of english.