Unit 2 Chapter 1 Lesson 2 /l/

LESSON 1 /l/

HOW TO PRONOUNCE /l/

1. Tip of the tongue is touching the gum ridge.
2. Lips are not rounded 
3. Air and sound flows through the side part of your mouth

EYES HERE

TYPES of /l/  (light [ l ] , dark [ ɫ ] , and dental [ l̪ ])

• Light [l]-the tip of the tongue is touching the gum ridge while the back part of the tongue is in a neutral position.

  • When to use light [l] 

    • beginning of a syllable (vowel sound + [l] )

Example:
 leave [lí: v] , live [lív] , lay [léi] , lose [lú:z]

• Dark / ɫ /-the tip of the tongue is touching the gum ridge while the back part of the tongue is raised.

  • When to use dark [ ɫ ]

    • end of a syllable ( /l/ + vowel sound)

Example:
fail [féiɫ], fell [féɫ]/, fall [fɔ́:ɫ],   fowl [fául]

Let us compare:
Light [l] sounds thinner and lighter as compared to the dark [ɫ] . 
Pronouncing the dark [ɫ] is like having something stuck in your throat. 

• Dental /l̪/- the tip of the tongue is touching the edge of the upper teeth (incisor).
  • When to use dental /l̪/
    • /l/ + dental sound (/θ/ or /ð/)

Example:
filth [fiɫ̪θ], health [heɫ̪θ], all the [ɔ:ɫ̪ ðə],sell [seɫ̪ ðə]

LET US WARM-UP

Pronounce the sounds slowly. Look at your mouth in the mirror.

SOUNDS	MOUTH FORMATION	TONGUE MOVEMENT
/llll/
/llll/ /ɑ/, /llllɑ/	1. 2.	1.2.
/llll/ /i/, /lllli/	1. 2.	1.2.
/llll/ /u/, /llllu/	1. 2.	1.2.
/llll/ /e/, /lllle/	1. 2.	1.2.
/llll/ /ɔ/, /llllɔ/	1. 2.	1.2.

COMMON JAPANESE MISTAKES

Usually students pronounced this as /r/ or a tap sound /ɾ/. 

MINIMAL PAIRS /l/ /r/

Highlight and click the word to listen to its pronunciation or click the play button to listen to all the words.(. . .can only use in PC)

Read and listen to the differences between /æ/ and /ɑ/. 
Test your listening skill by asking someone to RANDOMLY read a word and try to guess which word was read.

LET US PRACTICE /l/

Practice pronouncing the /l/ sound using the words below. 

HOW TO PRACTICE

1. LISTEN to the audio file.
2. COPY how the words are pronounced.
3. SLOWLY read the words.
4. LOOK at your mouth and tongue movement using a MIRROR.
5. ALWAYS practice

TWO-SYLLABLE WORDS/l/

Highlight and click the word to listen to its pronunciation or click the play button to listen to all the words. (. . .can only use in PC)

INITIAL

1. lazy

/léizi:/

2. living

/líviŋ/

3. leather

/léðɚ/

MEDIAL

1. dollar

/dɑ́:lɚ/

2. olive

/ɑ:liv/

3. believe

/bili:v/

THREE-SYLLABLE WORDS  / l /

Highlight and click the word to listen to its pronunciation or click the play button to listen to all the words. (. . .can only use in PC)

INITIAL

1. leftover

/ léftouvɚ /

2. location

/ loukéiʃn /

3. library

/ láibreri /

MEDIAL

1. celebrate

/ sélibreit /

2. challenges

/ tʃǽlindʒəz /

3. calendar

/ kælindɚ /

LET US PHRASE IT

Highlight and click the word to listen to its pronunciation or click the play button to listen to all the words.(. . .can only use in PC)

1. the blue lilac

/ ðə blú: láilək /

2. jellies for the local

/ dʒéli:z fɚ ðə lóukl /

3. Kelly’s halo

/ kéli:z héilou /

3. catcalling Alodia

/ kǽtkɔ:liŋ əloudiə /

TONGUE TWISTER

Highlight and click the word to listen to its pronunciation or click the play button to listen to all the words. (. . .can only use in PC)

Lonely Lily and jolly Lolita slowly sang the lovely lullaby.

/ lóunli: líli: ənd dʒɑ́: li:loulí:tə slóuli: sǽ:ŋ ðə lʌ́li: lʌ́lə̀bai /