Sound Contrast: /ɛ/ vs. /e/

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

• bet
  | bait
• edge
  | age
• fed
  | fade
• gel
  | jail
• less
  | lace
• men
  | main
• met
  | mate
• red
  | raid
• sell
  | sail
• sent
  | saint
• test
  | taste
• wreck
  | rake

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