Silent L words in English can be confusing because the letter “L” is written but not pronounced. In this guide, you’ll learn the rules for silent L, see clear examples, and practice with easy exercises to improve your pronunciation.
What Is a Silent Letter L?
Definition
In English, sometimes we see the letter “L” in a word, but we don’t actually hear it when we pronounce the word. This is called a silent L.
Listen to the audio and repeat the words with silent L:
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calm → pronounced /kɑːm/ (the L is silent).
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walk → pronounced /wɔːk/ (again, the L is silent).
Why Does L Become Silent?
Silent L has a story that goes back hundreds of years. Many words in English came from Old English, French, and Latin. In the past, the letter L was pronounced, but over time, the sound changed and became silent in everyday speech.
For example:
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would used to sound more like /wuːld/, but the /l/ disappeared.
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half once had a clear /l/, but today it’s just /hæf/.
Even though the sound disappeared, the spelling stayed the same. That’s why we still write the L even if we don’t pronounce it.
Rules and Patterns for Silent L
Even though English spelling can look strange, the letter L is silent in many words. Luckily, silent L usually follows some common patterns.
Silent L after “A”
When A comes before L, the L is usually silent.
Examples:
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calm → /kɑːm/ → “Stay calm during the test.”
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palm → /pɑːm/ → “He rested his head on his palm.”
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psalm → /sɑːm/ → “They sang a beautiful psalm.”
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balm → /bɑːm/ → “She used lip balm.”
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qualm → /kwɑːm/ → “He had no qualm about it.”
Rule: Words ending in -alm often have a silent L.
Silent L after “A” or “O” + L + K
When A or O comes before L and is followed by K, the L is usually silent.
Examples:
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walk → /wɔːk/ → “Let’s walk to the park.”
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talk → /tɔːk/ → “They like to talk at night.”
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chalk → /tʃɔːk/ → “She wrote with chalk.”
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stalk → /stɔːk/ → “The cat tried to stalk the bird.”
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folk → /foʊk/ → “Folk tales are interesting.”
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yolk → /joʊk/ → “The egg yolk is yellow.”
Rule: Many words ending in -alk or -olk have a silent L.
Silent L before “D”
When L comes before D, it usually disappears in pronunciation.
Examples:
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would → /wʊd/ → “I would love to help.”
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could → /kʊd/ → “She could run very fast.”
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should → /ʃʊd/ → “You should rest.”
Rule: In would, could, should, the L is always silent.
Silent L before “F”
Some words ending in -lf also have a silent L.
Examples:
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half → /hæf/ → “He ate half the cake.”
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calf → /kæf/ → “The calf stayed close to its mother.”
Irregular Silent L Words
Some words don’t follow the above patterns but still have a silent L.
Examples:
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salmon → /ˈsæmən/ → “We had grilled salmon for dinner.”
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almond → /ˈɑːmənd/ → “She likes almond milk.”
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solemn → /ˈsɑːmən/ → “It was a solemn ceremony.”
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colonel → /ˈkɜːrnəl/ → “He is a colonel in the army.” (very irregular—no L sound at all!)
List of Words with Silent L
Here’s a table with some of the most common words where the letter L is silent.
| Word | IPA | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| calm | /kɑːm/ | Stay calm during the test. |
| palm | /pɑːm/ | He rested his head on his palm. |
| psalm | /sɑːm/ | They sang a psalm at church. |
| balm | /bɑːm/ | She used lip balm. |
| qualm | /kwɑːm/ | He had no qualm about the decision. |
| walk | /wɔːk/ | Let’s walk to the park. |
| talk | /tɔːk/ | We talk every day. |
| chalk | /tʃɔːk/ | She wrote on the board with chalk. |
| stalk | /stɔːk/ | The cat tried to stalk the bird. |
| balk | /bɔːk/ | He did not balk at the challenge. |
| folk | /foʊk/ | Folk tales are interesting. |
| yolk | /joʊk/ | The yolk is rich in vitamins. |
| would | /wʊd/ | I would like some coffee. |
| could | /kʊd/ | She could dance very well. |
| should | /ʃʊd/ | You should rest. |
| half | /hæf/ | He ate half the sandwich. |
| calf | /kæf/ | The calf followed its mother. |
| salmon | /ˈsæmən/ | We had salmon for dinner. |
| almond | /ˈɑːmənd/ | Almond milk is tasty. |
| palmate | /ˈpɑːmeɪt/ | The plant has palmate leaves. |
| solemn | /ˈsɑːmən/ | It was a solemn ceremony. |
| colonel | /ˈkɜːrnəl/ | He is a colonel in the army. |
Practice with Silent L
Reading Practice
Read the passage aloud. Notice how the L is written but not pronounced.
Yesterday, I decided to walk to the market. On the way, I met some friendly folk who were telling old stories. At the store, I bought fresh salmon and a bottle of almond milk. I knew I should hurry home because my friend was waiting. When I arrived, I felt calm and happy.
Now, listen to the audio and pay attention to the silent L words. Repeat after the speaker to practice correct pronunciation.