l
Consonant
/l/ — Alveolar lateral approximant
Example words
| Word | US English | UK English |
|---|---|---|
| light | /ˈlaɪt/ | /laɪt/ |
| feel | /ˈfil/ | /fiːl/ |
| bottle | /ˈbɑtəl/ | /bɒtl̩/ |
| love | /ˈlʌv/ | /lʌv/ |
| yellow | /ˈjɛloʊ/ | /ˈjɛləʊ/ |
| small | /ˈsmɔl/ | /smɔːl/ |
| hello | /həˈloʊ/ | /hələʊ/ |
| look | /ˈlʊk/ | /lʊk/ |
| table | /ˈteɪbəl/ | /teɪbl̩/ |
| little | /ˈlɪtəl/ | /lɪtəl/ |
Transcriptions come from pronunciation lexicons IPAtics maintains, in US and UK English.
How to produce this sound
SoundAlveolar lateral approximant.
TongueAim the tongue tip/blade at the alveolar ridge (just behind upper front teeth). Create a central tongue contact while allowing smooth airflow around the sides.
LipsKeep lips neutral unless neighboring sounds require shaping.
JawKeep a relaxed, mid-small opening.
VoiceMaintain smooth voicing throughout the segment.
Minimal pairs
Each pair differs only in /l/, so hearing them side by side isolates the sound.
- light/ˈlaɪt/right/ˈɹaɪt/
- long/ˈlɔŋ/wrong/ˈɹɔŋ/
- lock/ˈlɑk/rock/ˈɹɑk/
Spelling patterns
- l as in light
- ll as in yellow
- le as in bottle
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