Silent L

Want to sound more like a native speaker? Mastering the silent L is a subtle but important step. It's a common feature in many everyday English words that can trip up learners.

How to make it

1. Identify the 'L' in words where it's often silent, typically between a vowel and another consonant.
2. Don't make any contact with your tongue for the 'L' sound.
3. Instead, stretch and deepen the vowel sound that comes before the silent 'L'. Imagine the sound coming from further back in your throat.

Watch out for

• Pronouncing the L too clearly — The goal is to omit the 'L' sound entirely, not just soften it.
• Not adjusting the preceding vowel — The vowel before the silent L often changes, becoming longer and sometimes deeper. Don't just skip the L; modify the vowel.

Words to try

• calm
• talk
• walk
• should
• would
• could
• half
• salmon
• folk

💡 Practicing these words will help you naturally integrate the silent L into your speech, making you sound more fluent and natural!