L vs R Consonant Sounds | Learn English Pronunciation Course | 158 Words | Minimal Pairs

Hello, guys.

My name is F@nny.

Welcome to this English pronunciation video.

In this video, we are going to focus on two consonant sounds

the /l/ sound and the /r/sound.

They can sound similar but they are different.

And it's very important for you to hear the difference

and to be able to pronounce them differently.

So we will start with two example words.

The first example word that I have is ‘light’.

Now can you hear the /l/ sound?

‘light’

The second word is quite different.

It's ‘right’.

Can you hear the different sound?

It's an /r/ sound.

‘right’

‘light’

‘right’

Can you hear the difference?

Well if you can't, practice with me.

And I promise you, by the end of this video, you will be able to hear the difference.

And you will be able to pronounce them differently.

So let's get started.

I’m going to help you produce the /l/ and the /r/ sound in English.

But first, you need to know about the IPA spelling.

You can also watch how I move my mouth.

It will help.

And of course always try to repeat after me in this video.

You can do this guys so let's get started.

First, guys, let's practice producing the sound /l/ in English.

So it's a voiced sound.

So again you're going to use your voice.

You're going to feel this vibration in your throats and your tongue is going to be forward.

okay.

It's going to touch your upper teeth.

So it's /l/.

Okay?

Can you repeat after me?

/l/

/l/

/l/

Let's now practice with the word ‘light’.

Please repeat after me.

‘light’

‘light’

‘light’

And now let's practice producing the /r/ sound.

It's slightly different.

It's also voiced.

So you're going to feel that vibration.

But your tongue is not going to be forward touching your upper teeth.

This time it's going to be curved.

So it's going to go up there.

Okay.

/r/

Can you please repeat after me?

/r/

/r/

/r/

Let's practice with the word ‘right’.

Please repeat after me.

‘right’

‘right’

‘right’

Good.

Okay, students let's now practice with minimal pairs -

words that sound practically the same but the sounds are actually different.

These words are very useful if you really want to hear the difference between the two sounds.

First, let's focus again on the sounds themselves.

And I want you to repeat after me.

First, the /l/ sound.

/l/

/l/

/l/

And now the /r/ sound.

Please repeat after me.

/r/

/r/

/r/

Let's now do both.

Please repeat after me.

/l/

/r/

/l/

/r/

/l/

/r/

Let's now practice with our words.

Please repeat after me.

‘light’

‘right’

‘light’

‘right’

‘light’

‘right’

Good job, guys.

Moving on.

All right, guys.

Time to go through minimal pairs together.

Please watch how I move my mouth and repeat after me.

Let's get started.

alive

arrive

belly

berry

blew

brew

blight

bright

blues

bruise

blush

brush

clash

crash

clown

crown

collect

correct

fleas

freeze

flee

free

fly

fry

glamour

grammar

gland

grand

glass

grass

glow

grow

jelly

jerry

lace

race

lack

rack

lag

rag

laid

raid

lair

rare

lake

rake

lamb

ram

lamp

ramp

lane

rain

lank

rank

lap

rap

lash

rash

late

rate

lather

rather

law

raw

lay

ray

laze

raze

lead

read

leader

reader

leap

reap

led

red

leech

reach

leek

reek

leer

rear

lentil

rental

lib

rib

lice

rice

lick

Rick

lid

rid

lied

ride

lies

rise

lighter

writer

limb

rim

lime

rhyme

link

rink

lip

rip

list

wrist

lit

writ

load

road

lob

rob

lobe

robe

lock

rock

locker

rocker

locket

rocket

long

wrong

look

rook

loom

room

loot

root

lot

rot

lout

rout

lows

rose

loyal

royal

luck

ruck

lug

rug

lump

rump

lung

rung

lush

rush

lust

rust

lute

route

pilot

pirate

play

pray

splint

sprint

Excellent, guys.

Let's now take a few sentences containing these consonant sounds.

The first sentence I have is, ‘Rick found lice in his rice.’

Can you repeat after me, guys?

‘Rick found lice in his rice.’

The second sentence is, ‘Please pray, don't play.’

Repeat after me.

‘Please pray, don't play.’

And finally, ‘Turn right at the light.’

Repeat after me.

‘Turn right at the light.’

Good, guys.

Let's move on.

Let's now move on to listening practice.

I’m now going to show you two words.

I will say one of the two words and I want you to listen very carefully

and to tell me if this word is ‘a’ or ‘b’.

Let's get started.

Let's take a look at our first two words shall we.

Now which one do I say ‘a’ or ‘b’?

Listen very carefully.

‘rice’

One more time.

‘rice’

Is it ‘a’ or is it ‘b’?

It's ‘b’, guys – ‘rice’.

‘a’ is pronounced ‘lice’.

Now I have ...

‘link’.

‘link’

Is it ‘a’ or is it ‘b’?

It's ‘a’ of course, ‘link’.

‘b’ is ‘rink’.

‘pray’]

‘pray’

It's ‘b’, ‘pray’.

‘a’ is ‘play’.

Listen to me very carefully.

‘wrist’

‘wrist’

‘a’ or ‘b’?

It's ‘b’, ‘wrist’.

‘a’ is pronounced ‘list’.

The next one.

‘locker’

‘locker’

It's ‘a’, ‘locker’.

‘b’ would be ‘rocker’.

What about this one?

‘pirate’

‘pirate’

It's ‘b’, guys, ‘pirate’.

‘a’ would be ‘pilot’.

Now listen to me.

‘loyal’

‘loyal’

It's ‘a’, ‘loyal’.

‘b’ is ‘royal’

What about this one?

‘loot’

‘loot’

It's ‘a’, guys.

‘b’ would be ‘root’.

Now, listen.

‘read’

‘read’

‘a’ or ‘b’?

It's ‘b’, ‘read’.

‘a’ is pronounced ‘lead’.

And finally,

‘loom’

‘loom’

‘a’ or ‘b’?

It's ‘a’ of course – ‘loom’.

‘b’ is pronounced ‘room’.

Great job.

Great, guys.

Well you now have a better understanding of the /l/ and /r/ consonant sounds in English.

Keep practicing.

You need a lot of speaking and listening practice to master these sounds.

But you can do it!

And by practicing, you will be able to pronounce these sounds and you will also train your ear

to hear the different sounds in English.

Please also make sure to watch my next videos on pronunciation to improve your English skills.

See you next time.

Thank you so much for watching, guys.

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