Minimal pairs · tʃ · ʃ
chip or ship
Ch starts with a tiny t-stop; sh flows from the first instant. Spanish has ch but not sh, so ships become chips; most Arabic has sh but not ch, so chips become ships.
Hard for Spanish and Arabic speakers
Press play, then tap the word you heard.
How to teach the mouth
Sh is the librarian's sound — it can last as long as your breath. Ch cannot be stretched at all. Have a 'longest shhh' contest; nobody wins a 'longest chhh'.