Silent L β€” Words Like Walk, Talk, Could, and Should

Pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary practice with words that have a silent L: -alk, -alf, -alm, -olk, -ould, and salmon

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πŸ“–Read the Lesson: Words with a Silent L

InfoYou see it, but you don't say it

In many English words, the letter L is written but not pronounced. We call it a silent L. You can't hear it in walk, talk, half, could, or should. The silent L often changes the sound of the vowel in front of it.

-alk sounds like β€œawk” β€” walk, talk, chalk. The L is silent.

-ould rhymes with good β€” could, would, should. The L is silent.

Other silent-L patterns: -alf (half, calf), -alm (calm, palm), -olk (folk, yolk), and the special word salmon (β€œSAM-un”).

SpellingSoundExamplesExample sentence
-alk/Ι”k/ β€œawk”walk, talk, chalk, stalkLet's walk to the park and talk.
-ould/ʊd/ (rhymes with good)could, would, shouldYou should rest. Could you help me?
-alf/Γ¦f/half, calf (also halves, calves)I ate half of the sandwich.
-alm/Ι‘m/ β€œahm”calm, palmStay calm and take a deep breath.
-olk/oʊk/ (rhymes with joke)folk, yolkThe egg yolk is yellow.
special/ˈsΓ¦mΙ™n/ β€œSAM-un”salmonWe had salmon for dinner.
L is pronounced/l/milk, film, help, cold, salt, wolfPlease help me carry the milk.

Homophones sound the same but have different spellings and meanings: would / wood. β€œWould you like some tea?” Β· β€œThe table is made of wood.”

Careful! Could (no L sound) and cold (L sound) are different words. Also, some speakers pronounce a light L in calm and palm. Both ways are OK, but the silent L is very common.

Word families in this lesson

-alk: walk, talk, chalk
-ould: could, would, should
-alf: half, calf
-alm: calm, palm
-olk: folk, yolk
Special: salmon

Mini-dialogue

Teodora: Is there an L sound in β€œwalk”?
Samir: No, the L is silent. It sounds like β€œwawk.”
Teodora: What about β€œcould” and β€œwould”?
Samir: They rhyme with β€œgood.” The L is silent there, too.
Teodora: And β€œsalmon”? I always say the L.
Samir: Most people say β€œSAM-un.” No L at all!

🧩Vocabulary β€” Matching A & B

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Match each definition with the correct word. Rows and answer choices are shuffled each time the page loads.

Part A

to move by putting one foot in front of the other
to speak with someone
a soft white stick used to write on a board
one of two equal parts
a young cow
the inside part of your hand

Part B

quiet and relaxed; not worried
a pink fish that many people eat
the yellow part of an egg
ordinary people; also traditional music from a culture
the past of β€œcan”; also used for polite requests
a word we use to give advice

🧠Vocabulary in Context

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Choose the best word for each sentence.

1. I to work every day because my office is close to my home.
2. Can we about the homework after class?
3. The teacher wrote the date on the board with .
4. I ate of the pizza and saved the rest for tomorrow.
5. Take a deep breath and try to stay .
6. you please open the window?
7. You look tired. You go to bed early tonight.
8. I like my eggs with a soft, runny .

❓Multiple Choice

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Choose the best answer.

1. In which word is the L silent?
2. In which word is the L pronounced?
3. Which word rhymes with could?
4. Which pair are homophones (same sound, different meaning)?
5. How do most people pronounce salmon?
6. Which sentence gives advice?

✏️Cloze β€” Paragraphs with Word Bank and Hints

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Complete the paragraphs. Click a blank, then click a word in the word bank β€” or just type. Use πŸ”Ž for a β€œstarts with…” hint.

Word Bank (tap to fill)

walkcalmsalmontalkyolkhalffolkchalkcouldwouldcalfpalmshould

Part A β€” Saturday at the Farmers Market

On Saturday morning, Mariela decided to to the farmers market. The weather was , with no wind at all. At the fish stand, she bought fresh for dinner. Next, she stopped to with a farmer who sold eggs. He told her that his eggs have a bright orange . Mariela bought a dozen eggs. A small band was playing music near the entrance, so she stayed to listen before going home.

Part B β€” A New Teacher

Tomasz is a new teacher at an adult school. On his first day, he wrote his name on the board with . Then he asked the class, β€œ everyone please say their name?” He spoke very fast, so one student asked, β€œ you repeat that, please?” Tomasz smiled and spoke more slowly. Later, the class read a story about a farm in Florida. In the story, a young cow, called a , slept under a tall tree. At the end of class, Tomasz said, β€œYou practice these new words at home.”

βœ”οΈTrue / False

Score 0 answered Β· 0/0 correct

Decide if each sentence is true or false.

1. The L in walk and talk is silent.
2. Could, would, and should rhyme with good.
3. The L in milk is silent.
4. Would and wood sound the same.
5. Most people pronounce salmon with a clear L sound.
6. Folk and yolk rhyme with joke.

πŸ”’Sequencing β€” Dinner and a Calm Evening

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Write numbers 1–4 to put the steps in order. The rows are shuffled each time the page loads.

Part A β€” Farida's Dinner

Farida walks to the store after work.
She buys salmon and a bag of rice.
At home, she cooks half of the salmon for dinner.
She saves the other half for lunch the next day.

Part B β€” Yusuf's Calm Evening

Yusuf finishes his homework at the kitchen table.
He calls his sister, and they talk for an hour.
After the call, he takes a short walk around the block.
He feels calm, so he goes to bed early.

πŸ’¬β€œFor Example” Practice

TaskFree production

Complete each sentence and give at least one example. Try it yourself first β€” click πŸ’‘ Hint only if you need an idea.

  1. Sentence: β€œIn many words, the L is silent.”

    For example:

  2. Sentence: β€œSome words that end in -ould rhyme with good.”

    For example:

  3. Sentence: β€œSome words sound the same but have different spellings.”

    For example:

  4. Sentence: β€œIn some words, you can hear the L.”

    For example:

πŸ—£οΈDiscussion, Writing and Role Play

TaskSpeaking and writing

Discussion / Writing

  1. Which silent-L word surprised you the most? Why?
  2. Do you like to walk? Where and when do you usually walk?
  3. What helps you stay calm when you feel stressed?
  4. Give a new student three pieces of advice. Use should in each sentence.
  5. Write three polite requests. Use could or would in each one.

Role Play β€” Making Weekend Plans

Practice with a partner. Read the dialogue, then change three words and perform it again.

  • Student A: What should we do this weekend?
  • Student B: We could walk to the farmers market on Saturday morning.
  • Student A: Good idea! Would you like to have lunch there, too?
  • Student B: Sure. They sell fresh salmon, and a band plays folk music.
  • Student A: Should we invite your brother?
  • Student B: Yes. I'll call him tonight and talk to him about it.
  • Student A: Great. Let's meet at half past nine.
  • Student B: Perfect. See you on Saturday!

πŸ”Answer Key (Teacher)