HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE LETTER L IN ENGLISH

START FOR FREE

Welcome to this article where we will teach you how to pronounce the letter L in English! If you want to improve your pronunciation, one of the most important things you must do is pay attention to how sounds are correctly produced in English. Some of the sounds in this language present some kind of challenge in their pronunciation, however, the L will surely not give you any trouble.

The sound l in English is a phoneme very similar to the one we produce in Spanish, which is why it is very likely that you will not have difficulties pronouncing it in English words. That said, it never hurts to take a look and consciously review its phonetics, since no effort is wasted when it comes to improving English pronunciation.

THE ENGLISH PHONETICS OF THE LETTER L

Surely you have seen that in dictionaries next to the words there are several somewhat strange symbols. This is the phonetic transcription of the word which is written with the help of the International Phonetic Alphabet, also known as IPA by its initials. That is, these symbols inside brackets or slashes are your number one help to understand, thanks to English phonetics, how a word is pronounced.

IPA explains to us that the sound /l/ is a consonant that is pronounced laterally and in the middle of our mouth. This phoneme is not voiceless, since it requires our vocal cords to produce a sound when pronouncing it.

HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE LETTER L IN ENGLISH

THE PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LETTER L IN ENGLISH

Well, if you want to know how L is written in English in the IPA to understand how this sound is pronounced, you should then remember that the phonetic transcription of the sound l in English is /l/. In this case, we could say that the production is the same as in Spanish. However, it is a consonantal sound that has a small difference, which is that in English it tends to be lengthened a bit.

To make it clearer, now let’s see some examples of words with l in English.

Light – /laɪt/ = Light

Valley – /ˈvæli/ = Valley

Bell – /bel/ = Bell

Level – /ˈlevəl/ = Level

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR PRONUNCIATION OF THE LETTER L IN ENGLISH

There are many ways to improve your pronunciation of the letter l in English. One of them is to learn phonetics and apply it, especially at times when you have doubts about English pronunciation. That is why it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the International Phonetic Alphabet so you can use it whenever needed.

On the other hand, remember that it is normal to have a special accent in English. Don’t obsess over getting rid of it. What really matters is that your pronunciation is good and does not make it difficult for your listeners to understand what you want to convey. That said, remember that it is important to learn certain exceptions, like when the l is silent in English.

Also, it is a good idea to record yourself and then listen to how you read and speak. This way you can work on both pronunciation and English intonation.

HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE LETTER L IN ENGLISH

Other links of your interest:

WHY ABA ENGLISH?

ABA English is your best choice if you want to learn English at your own pace through an online course. You can use the device you prefer – computer, mobile or tablet – and follow a study plan tailored to you. Set a goal and go for it. A teacher will accompany you from day one to help you achieve it.

No matter your level. You can start from the beginning, at the Beginners level, and reach the Business C1 level. Each time you pass a level, you will receive an official ABA English certificate that you can share on LinkedIn.

We have an exclusive and effective method for you, based on an attractive and exciting learning experience. We know that without interest, there are no results. That is why all our units begin with watching a short film, the ABA Films.

Register for FREE and try it. Discover why more than 25 million students have chosen ABA English to learn English. We are waiting for you!

REGISTER