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2.22: The Consonant Sound [l]

Last updated

Jun 15, 2022
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- 2.21: The Consonant Sound [r]
- 3: Vowel Sounds and Spellings

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Overview of the Consonant Sound [l]

More than nine times out of ten [l] is spelled <l>.

Examples

You can hear the sound [l] at the beginning and end of the word lull.

Review

Underline the letters that spell [l] in each of the following words:
$\begin{align*} & \text{ability} && \text{symbol} && \text{fertilizer} && \text{lieutenant}\\ & \text{wrinkle} && \text{bungle} && \text{regular} && \text{national}\\ & \text{freely} && \text{cathedral} && \text{guilty} && \text{leisure}\\ & \text{annihilate} && \text{delegate} && \text{horrible} && \text{angrily}\\ & \text{awhile} && \text{elaborate} && \text{jungle} && \text{league} \end{align*}$

Now sort the twenty words into these three groups:

Words with [l]. . .
in the front	in the middle	at the end

How is [l] spelled in all of these words? _______.

Show Answer

$\begin{align*} & abi\underline{l}ity && symbo\underline{l} && ferti\underline{l}izer && \underline{l}ieutenant \\ & wrink\underline{l}e && bung\underline{l}e && regu\underline{l}ar && nationa\underline{l} \\ & free\underline{l}y && cathedra\underline{l} && gui\underline{l}ty && \underline{l}eisure \\ & annihi\underline{l}ate && de\underline{l}egate && horrib\underline{l}e && angri\underline{l}y \\ & awhi\underline{l}e && e\underline{l}aborate && jung\underline{l}e && \underline{l}eague \end{align*}$

Words with [l]. . .
in the front	in the middle	at the end
lieutenant	ability	wrinkle
leisure	freely	awhile
league	annihilate	symbol
	delegate	bungle
	elaborate	cathedral
	fertilizer	horrible
	regular	jungle
	guilty	national
	angrily

How is [l] spelled in all of these words? <l>.

Explore More

Word Squares. This squares contains the following twelve words, each of which contains the sound [l] spelled <l>. We've shown you where the <l>'s go in the words:

$\begin{align*} & \text{6 Letters:} && \text{7 Letters:} && \text{8 Letters:} && \text{10 Letters:}\\ & \text{awhile} && \text{ability} && \text{horrible} && \text{annihilate}\\ & \text{bungle} && \text{angrily} && \text{national} && \text{lieutenant}\\ & \text{jungle} && \text{wrinkle} && \text{ } && \text{ }\\ & \text{league} && \text{ } && \text{ } && \text{ }\\ & \text{symbol} && \text{ } && \text{ } && \text{ } \end{align*}$

Show Answer

[l] Spelled <l> or <ll>

The sound [l] can be spelled <ll> for a few reasons, including simple addition and assimilation.

Examples

Sometimes when you add a suffix that starts with <l> to a stem that ends in <l>, you get <ll> because of simple addition: heel + less = heelless.

Sometimes when you add a prefix to a word that starts with <l>, the last letter of the prefix assimilates: com + lect = collect.

Review

Underline the letters that spell [l] in the following words.
$\begin{align*} & \text{finally} && \text{collie} && \text{taillight} && \text{dollar}\\ & \text{cathedral} && \text{collapse} && \text{allegiance} && \text{ability}\\ & \text{respectfully} && \text{allies} && \text{annually} && \text{shallowness}\\ & \text{jewellike} && \text{followers} && \text{college} && \text{illogically}\\ & \text{ballads} && \text{illustration} && \text{lieutenant} && \text{colleague} \end{align*}$

Sort these twenty words into these two groups.

Words in which [l] is spelled ...
<l>	<ll>

Seven of the seventeen words with [l] spelled <ll> have the <ll> in them because of assimilation in the prefix. In three of them the <m> in com- has changed to an <l>. In two the <d> in ad- has changed to an <l>. In two the <n> in in- has changed to an <l>. Find these seven words and sort them into these three groups.

Words with ...
ad- assimilated to al-	*com- assimilated* *to col*-	in- assimilated to *il-*

Five of the sixteen words that contain <ll> have two <l>s because in them a suffix that starts with an <l> has been added to a stem that ends with <l>. Find the five and sort them into these two groups.

Words with the suffix...
*-like*	*-ly*

Among the words with [l] spelled <ll> there is one compound word in which the <ll> is due to simple addition. That word is ______________.
There are also five words with [l] spelled <ll> because of the VCC pattern at work. List them.

Show Answer

$\begin{align*} & fina\underline{ll}y && co\underline{ll}ie && tai\underline{ll}ight && do\underline{ll}ar \\ & cathedra\underline{l} && co\underline{ll}apse && a\underline{ll}egiance && abi\underline{l}ity \\ & respectfu\underline{ll}y && a\underline{ll}ies && annua\underline{ll}y && sha\underline{ll}owness \\ & jewe\underline{ll}ike && fo\underline{ll}owers && co\underline{ll}ege && i\underline{ll}ogically \\ & ba\underline{ll}ads && i\underline{ll}ustration && \underline{l}ieutenant && co\underline{ll}eague \end{align*}$

Words in which [l] is spelled ...
<l>	<ll>
cathedral	finally	allies	college
lieutenant	respectfully	followers	dollar
ability	jewellike	illustration	shallowness
	ballads	taillight	illogically
	collie	allegiance	colleague
	collapse	annually

Words with ...
ad- assimilated to al-	*com- assimilated* *to col*-	in- assimilated to *il-*
allies	collapse	illustration
allegiance	college	illogically
	colleague

Words with the suffix...
*-like*	*-ly*
jewellike	finally
	respectfully
	annually
	illogically

Among the words with [l] spelled <ll> there is one compound word in which the <ll> is due to simple addition. That word is taillight.
There are also five words with [l] spelled <ll> because of the VCC pattern at work.
$\begin{align*} & ballads && collie && followers && dollar && shallowness \end{align*}$

Sounds of <a> before <ll>

When the letters <ll> come at the end of a free stem, an <a> before them will spell [o].

When the <ll> comes in the middle of a free stem, an <a> before them will spell [a].

Examples

Usually the <ll> spelling follows the VCC pattern. For instance, in ballads, fellows, thrilling, dollar, and bullet, there is a short vowel in front of the <ll>, and it is always the vowel sound that it looks as if it should be. In ballads there is a short <a>; in fellows there is a short <e>; in thrilling and dollar, a short and short <o>; and in bullet a short <oo>, ů.

Sometimes right in front of the <ll> you should hear the short <a> sound, [a], that the spelling suggests, but sometimes you should hear the short <o> sound, [o]. Remember: Short <a> is the vowel you hear in hat. Short <o> is the vowel you hear in hot.

Review

Read the following words aloud. Pay special attention to the vowel sound in front of the <ll> in each one. Mark the vowel sound in front of the <ll>, as we have done with stalled.
$\begin{align*}& \text{stalled} && \text{tallest} && \text{eyeballs} && \text{befallen} \\ & \quad [o] \\ & \text{stallions} && \text{tallied} && \text{balladist} && \text{fallacies} \\ \\ & \text{allies} && \text{allergies} && \text{recalling} && \text{hallowed} \\ \\ & \text{halls} && \text{overalls} && \text{callousness} && \text{valley} \\ \\ & \text{appalled} && \text{alligators} && \text{mailing} && \text{shallowness} \\ \\ & \text{challenge} && \text{balloting} && \text{galleries} && \text{smallest} \\ \\\end{align*}$

Each of the twenty-four words contains a free stem plus a suffix. Analyze each one.

Word	= Free Stem	+ Suffix	Word	= Free Stem	+ Suffix
stalled	= stall	+ ed	eyeballs	= eyeball	+ s
stallions			balladist
allies			recalling
halls			callousness
appalled			malling
challenger			galleries
tallest			befallen
tallied			fallacies
allergies			hallowed
overalls			valleys
alligators			shallowness
balloting			smallest

Now look at the twenty-four free stems you just found in your analysis. Sort them into this matrix.

Show Answer

Word	= Free Stem	+ Suffix	Word	= Free Stem	+ Suffix
stalled	= stall	+ ed	eyeballs	= eyeball	+ s
stallions	= stallion	+ s	balladist	= ballad	+ ist
allies	= all y+ i	+ es	recalling	= recall	+ ing
halls	= hall	+ s	callousness	= callous	+ ous
appalled	= appal + l	+ ed	malling	= mall	+ ing
	or appall	+ ed
challenger	= challeng e	+ er	galleries	= galler y	+ i + es
tallest	= tall	+ est	befallen	= befall	+ en
tallied	= tall y + i	+ ed	fallacies	= fallac y+ i	+ es
allergies	= allerg y+ i	+ es	hallowed	= hallowed	+ ed
overalls	= overall	+ s	valleys	= valley	+ s
alligators	= alligator	+ s	shallowness	= shallow	+ ness
balloting	= ballot	+ ing	smallest	= small	+ est

	Free stems with the <all> at the end	Free stems with the <all> not at the end
Free stems with [a] before <ll>		stallion ally challenger tally allergy alligator ballot balladist callous gallery fallacy hallow valley shallow
Free stems with [o] before <ll>	stall hall appal(l) tall overall eyeball recall mall befall small

Free stems with the <all> at the end

Free stems with the <all> not at the end

Free stems with [a] before <ll>

stallion

ally

challenger

tally

allergy

alligator

ballot

balladist

callous

gallery

fallacy

hallow

valley

shallow

Free stems with [o] before <ll>

stall

hall

appal(l)

tall

overall

eyeball

recall

mall

befall

small

Sounds of <o> before <ll>

When <ll> is at the end of a free stem, an <a> right in front of it will spell a short <o> sound, as in ball, [bol]. But when the <ll> is in the middle of the stem, an <a> right in front of it will spell a short <a> sound, as in ballot, [bálət].

That's a neat little pattern, but there are a couple of misfits worth noticing. The word wall fits the pattern because it has the short <o> sound, but longer words with <wa> in front of <ll> in them don't fit: swallow, wallow, wallet, wallop.

There is a similar pattern for the spelling <oll>. Sometimes you hear a short <o>, but sometimes you hear a long <o>.

Examples

When spelling <oll>, sometimes you hear a short <o> and sometimes you hear a long <o>.

For example, following has a short <o> and enrolled has a long <o>.

Review

Read the following words aloud, carefully. Mark the vowel sound in front of the <ll> as we have with troller.
$\begin{align*}& \text{troller} && \text{tolls} && \text{bollixed} && \text{colleges} \\ & \;\,[\bar{o}] \\ & \text{trolleys} && \text{enrolled} && \text{knolly} && \text{scrolled} \\ \\ & \text{polling} && \text{rollicking} && \text{collies} && \text{stroller} \\ \\ & \text{polliwogs} && \text{follies} && \text{dollars} && \text{colleagues'} \\ \\ & \text{following} && \text{jolliest} && \text{hollowed} && \text{collaring}\\ \\\end{align*}$

Each of the twenty words contains a free stem plus a suffix. Analyze each one.

= Free Stem	+ Suffix	= Free Stem	+ Suffix
=	+	=	+
=	+	=	+
=	+	=	+
=	+	=	+
=	+	=	+
=	+	=	+
=	+	=	+
=	+	=	+
=	+	=	+
=	+	=	+

When the <ll> is at the end of a free stem, does the <o> right in front of it spell a long sound or a short sound? _________. When the <ll> is in the middle of a free stem, does the <o> right in front of it spell a long sound or a short sound? _________.

Show Answer

Word	= Free Stem	+ Suffix	Word	= Free Stem	+ Suffix
troller	= troll	+ er	bollixed	= bollix	+ ed
trolleys	= trolley	+ s	knolly	= knoll	+ y
polling	= poll	+ ing	collies	= collie	+ s
polliwogs	= polliwog	+ s	dollars	= dollar	+ s
following	= follow	+ ing	hollowed	= hollow	+ ed
tolls	= toll	+ s	colleges	= colleges	+ s
enrolled	= enroll	+ ed	scrolled	= scroll	+ ed
rollicking	= rollick	+ ing	stroller	= stroll	+ er
follies	= foll y + i	+ es	colleagues'	= colleague	+ s'
jolliest	= joll y	+ est	collaring	= collar	+ ing

When the <ll> is at the end of a free stem, does the <o> right in front of it spell a long sound or a short sound? long. When the <ll> is in the middle of a free stem, does the <o> right in front of it spell a long sound or a short sound? short.

<ll> with Short or <oo>

There are two very similar short vowel sounds: the short , [u], as in buck, and the short <oo>, [ů] as in book. Both of these sounds are usually spelled and can occur before <ll>.

Examples

The word bull has the short <oo> or [ů] sound.

The word lull has the short or [u] sound.

Review

Say the following words carefully and mark the vowel sound spelled as we have with bull.
$\begin{align*}& \text{bullfighter} && \text{fullest} && \text{bullet}\\ & \;\,[\dot{u}] \\ & \text{dullness} && \text{lullaby} && \text{sullen}\\ \\ & \text{seagull} && \text{skullcap} && \text{bully} \\ \\ & \text{pulley} && \text{nullify} && \text{gullible}\\ \\\end{align*}$

Sort the twelve words into these two groups.

Words in which <u> spells the sound...
[u]		ů

Since the sounds [u] and [ů] are so similar and are both short, they pose no spelling problem. It is just another little wrinkle in the way things are.

Two spellings of [l] are used almost 100% of the time! They are _____ and _____.

Show Answer

Words in which <u> spells the sound...
[u]		ů
dullness	sullen	bullfighter
seagull	gullible	pulley
lullaby		fullest
skullcap		bullet
nullify		bully

Two spellings of [l] are used almost 100% of the time! They are <l> and <ll> .

Explore More

Except for the three words isle, island, and aisle, [l] is spelled either <l> or <ll>.

The <s> got into island by mistake: In Old English there was a word iegland, which meant “water land,” or “island.” Later the English adopted the French word isle, which also meant “island.” People then made the mistake of thinking that iegland, which was then usually spelled iland, must be a compound of isle and land. They put the <s> in and changed the word to island.

English also kept the French word isle. The <s> in isle echoes the <s> in the original Latin word, insula, which meant “island.”

That French isle also caused the <s> in aisle. About six hundred years ago in English the word aile meant “wing of a church building.” But people began to mix aile up with isle, perhaps thinking that since an aile (or wing) and an isle (or island) were both off by themselves, the two words must be related. So in went that <s> again, and aile became our word aisle.

Word Scrambles. Follow the directions very carefully, and write the words you form in the right column. The shaded boxes will contain three words you've studied in this lesson.

Write the word sail
Change the <a> to <e> and scramble the letters
Add <m> and scramble the letters
Change <m> to <a> and scramble the letters
Add <d> and scramble the letters
Change <e> to <n> and scramble the letters

Show Answer

Write the word sail	sail
Change the <a> to <e> and scramble the letters	isle
Add <m> and scramble the letters	slime, miles, limes, smile
Change <m> to <a> and scramble the letters	aisle
Add <d> and scramble the letters	sailed, ladies
Change <e> to <n> and scramble the letters	island

Overview of the Consonant Sound [l]

Examples

Review

Explore More

[l] Spelled <l> or <ll>

Examples

Review

Sounds of <a> before <ll>

Examples

Review

Sounds of <o> before <ll>

Examples

Review

<ll> with Short <u> or <oo>

Examples

Review

Explore More

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