ESL Blogs

Voiced Consonants

Continuants  /l/  and  /r/

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             Again, don't forget to make the consonant sound and pronounce the words.

Voiced Consonant / l /

  (Video 1 - Watch in 'Full Screen')

and at the beginning and end of the word ‘level’ /ˈlevl/ 

Now, you try! Listen and repeat. 

similar sounds /l/ and /r/ 

Speakers of some  languages  may find it difficult to tell the difference  between this sound /1/ and another consonant /r/.

Now,  listen  carefully  to  hear  the  difference  between  the  following  two  words  and watch the position of my mouth.  light /laɪt/    right /raɪt/  2X

I make the /l/ sound with the front part of my tongue behind my teeth and I make the /r/sound by making my lips come out and pulling my tongue back - /r/. 

Now, listen to some examples and watch the shape of my mouth. 

         lock       ./lɒk/                .rock       ./rɒk/ 

extra information about /l/ 

In English, /l/ at the beginning of a syllable is a bit different from /l/ at the end of a syllable. Listen carefully!

         let          ./let/                  tell              /tel/      2X 

Did you hear that little difference? Listen again (beginning) /1/ and (ending) /l/ 2X 

Now for some speakers of English, this can change the vowel a little bit. Listen again!

         loot       ../lu:t/                .tool           ../tu:l/     2X 

         cold      ../kəʊld/    -      /kəʊld/ 

To be careful! There’s a bit of difference.

Voiced Consonant / r /

(Video 2 - Watch in 'Full Screen')

in the middle of the words ‘sorry’ /ˈsɒri/ and ‘arrange’ /əˈreɪndʒ/. 

Now, watch my mouth while I’m saying this sound. My lips come out and I pull my tongue back - /r/.  Okay, let’s practise! Repeat after me.

         arrange     /əˈreɪndʒ/                 Ok! 

similar sounds /r/ and /l/ 

To speakers of some languages, it may be difficult to tell the difference between this sound /r/ and another consonant /l/. 

Now,  listen  carefully  to  the  following  examples  and  watch  the  shape of my mouth. For each example, I’ll say the word with the sound /r/ first. 

Linking /r/

Now in Standard Southern English,  you won’t usually hear this sound at the end of a syllable or word. Listen to the following examples! 

         heard       ../hɜ:d/ 

Ok! Let’s practise this. Listen and repeat. (Refer to the above list!) 

Now, you will hear this sound at the end of a word if the following word begins with a vowel (sound). Listen to the following two sentences. 

         1. This is my car.    /ðɪs‿ɪz maɪ kɑ:/

         2. My car is blue.   /maɪ kɑ:r‿ɪz blu:/ 

In the first sentence, ‘This is my car.’, you don’t hear the /r/ sound because it’s at the end of a sentence. 

So, let’s practise this.

         My car is blue.  /maɪ kɑ:rɪz blu:/   Ok!   

SUPPLEMENTARY VIDEO

(Video 3 - Watch in 'Full Screen')

In this video, teacher Melanie demonstrates how to make the consonant sounds /l/ and /r/. She also describes about the place of articulation for these two sounds.  

             to do it.]

   1.      .Say the phonemes the number of times they appear.

             Elongate the consonant /r/ in each word:   rent ... rake ... rap ... rhyme 

   2.       Read the following minimal pairs.

             a)  initial  /1/ and /r/ 

            lather      ./ˈlɑ:ðə/         rather     ../ˈrɑ:ðə/

             b)  /l/ and /r/ in other positions               

             flees       ../fli:z/           .freeze       ./fri:z/

   3.       Read each sentence twice.

             / leni lu: lepəd led leprəkɔ:nz li:pɪŋ laɪk  lemɪŋz / 

             / raʊnd ‿ən raʊnd ðə rʌgɪd rɒk ðə rægɪd rɑ:skl ræn /

   4.     Read the following passage.

(Bare in mind that not all written 'r's are pronounced in Southern British English!)

From the start we have shared a strong and supportive love for one another.  I  promise to  nurture  and  embrace  that  love,  so as we grow our love grows with us.  You  have always been somebody that I have seen as my equal. I have infinite respect for you and will let no other  treat  you  any  differently. We’ve shared joys and troubles during our relationship  and  continued to support each other with all that we have.  I vow that my support will never waver or fade, nor cower during difficult times.

A sample of the audio assignment that I've recorded for you!

You can use this Vocaroo Voice Recorder to practise the above Audio Assignment.

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This study session is assisted by G & G: Gabriel | Galina

Study Session 11

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