Minimal Pair

When you cannot explain why two cases should be treated differently, make them almost identical. Change one relevant feature and ask whether your judgment should change with it.

Hold the case steady → change one feature → explain the difference.

A minimal pair puts two closely matched cases side by side so one distinction is easier to inspect. It can clarify a concept, test a classification, or expose an inconsistent judgment. Invented pairs test your reasoning; they do not establish how a real-world intervention will behave.

Try this when…

I know these cases are different, but I cannot say why.

Would I give the same answer if just this detail changed?

The examples are so different that I cannot see the rule.

I might be reacting to the label rather than the relevant facts.

What you can use it for

Learning distinctions

Isolate the feature that changes a classification or interpretation.

Checking consistency

See whether a judgment changes for a reason you can defend.

Improving explanations

Use matched examples to teach where a rule applies and where it stops.