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Ll

Letter L

The letter L makes the /l/ sound, like in 'lamp', 'leg', and 'lip'. The tongue tip touches behind the upper teeth.

How this rule works

L is a voiced lateral approximant — the tongue tip touches the ridge behind the upper teeth while air flows around the sides. Double L (ll) makes the same /l/ sound.

Remember: L is for lamp — light it up with /l/!

Examples

lamplegliplogleaf

Words that use this rule

1,036 words in the SnapPhonics dictionary use this rule. Tap any word to see how it breaks into sounds. Showing the first 200 alphabetically.

abilityabolitionabsquatulateaccessibilityactualactuallyadditionaladolescentafterlifeagilealarmalertalienaliensalignaliveallallegoricalaloftalonealongaloudambivalenceambulanceangelangleanglesangularanimalanimalsannalannalsanthropologistapostleappleapplesappliedapplyaprilarchaeologicalarticulatearticulatesarticulationarticulatoryastrophysicalastropoliticalathleteaudiovisualbalancebalancedbalancesbalconiesbalconyballbarrelbaseballbasketballbattlebeautifullybeetlebeliefsbelievebelievedbelongbelongedbelowbilitybiologistboilboiledboilerboilingboldboldnessboolbottleboulderbowlbowlerbristlebroilbubblebuildbuilderbuildingbuildingsbulbsbustlecallcalledcallercallingcallscamelcanalcandlecanonicalcapitalcarefullycarelessnesscastleceilingcelebratecelebratedcelebratescelebratingcelebrationcelibacycelsiuscentralcentralizecentralizedcerealceremonialchaletchandelierchannelchannelschecklistcheerfulnesschemicalchemicallychemicalschildchildhoodchildrenchocolatecirculationcivilcivilizationclassicalcleanlinesscoalcoilcoldcoldercoldlycoldnesscolonialcolorcoloredcolorfulcoloringcolorscolorshiftingcolourcolumncommercialcommercializationcommunalcomplaincomplainedcompletecompletedcompletelycomplexcomplimentcondoleconsoleconsolesconsolidateconsolidatedconsolidationcontemplativecontrolconventionalconventionallycoolcooledcoolercoolingcoollycoolnesscorioliscosmologicalcrawlcrawledcrawlingcrocodilecrucialcruelcruellycrystalculminateculminatedculturalculturecurlcurledcylinderdahliadahliasdandeliondealdealerdealingdecimaldelaydelayeddelicious

Exceptions

L is sometimes silent: calm, palm, talk, walk, half.

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