English Language Writing Skills

By Danso Kwasi Nti Samuel (DAS). Study the complete course source, examine every model and practise alongside Professor Jarvis.

Course printed page 34 PDF page 40 of 505

For tables, matching columns, IPA and original formatting, open the course PDF above.

Group Collaborative Study Dialogue on Producing /r/ and /l/ Sounds in

Different Positions in Words

Ata: Hi everyone! Today, we’re focusing on the /r/ and /l/ sounds. These sounds can really

change the meaning of words, so it's important to practice them in different positions within

words. Mansa, could you start by describing where we can find /r/ and /l/ in words?

Mansa: Sure, Ata! For the /r/ sound, we can find it at the beginning, middle, and end of

words. For example, at the beginning, we have "rose," "robot," and "river." In the middle,

you’ll hear it in "happy," "fire," and "artist." At the end, it's in "car," "flower," and "sugar."

Esi: Great examples, Mansa. For the /l/ sound, at the beginning, you might have "lamp,"

"lemon," and "ladder." In the middle, examples include "apple," "candle," and "jungle." And

at the end, you can find it in "ball," "feel," and "seal."

Appiah: Excellent. Now let’s move on to Activity 1: Sound Identification. We’ll listen to

words and determine if we hear the /r/ or /l/ sound and where it is in the word. For instance,

"rose" has the /r/ sound at the beginning, "artist" has it in the middle, and "seal" has /l/ at

the end.

Ata: Great! For Activity 2, Sound Reproduction, we’ll practice saying words with /r/ and /l/

sounds in various positions. For example, "flower" and "river" for the /r/ sound at the end

and beginning, and "apple" and "candle" for the /l/ sound in the middle. Let’s focus on clear

pronunciation.

Mansa: Moving to Activity 3: Minimal Pairs Practice. We’ll use pairs of words that only

differ by the /r/ and /l/ sounds. For example, "pride" vs. "plaid," "brick" vs. "blick," and

"rally" vs. "lolly." Let's listen carefully and repeat these pairs to get the distinction right.

Esi: Sounds good. For Activity 4: Tongue Placement Exercises, we’ll practice the correct

tongue placement for /r/ and /l/. For /r/, the tongue should be slightly curled back, and for

/l/, it should touch the roof of the mouth just behind the upper front teeth. Using a mirror

can help us see if we’re doing it correctly.