Sound Contrast: /ɛ/ vs. /æ/

Listen to the difference between the vowel sounds (/ɛ/ vs. /æ/) in the following pairs of words.

• bet
  | bat
• end
  | and
• head
  | had
• lest
  | last
• men
  | man
• peck
  | pack
• pen
  | pan
• pep
  | pap
• rent
  | rant
• said
  | sad
• send
  | sand
• set
  | sat

Depending on your native language distinguishing the difference can be very easy or very difficult.