Silent letters can be unpredictable, and the silent “L” is no different. Below, we’ll go over some instances where you can expect to find a silent “L.”
- A few examples of words with a silent “L” are:
- ○ behalf
- ○ colonel
- ○ salmon
- ○ would
- ○ yolk
The Silent “L”
We know. It’s hard to comprehend that some words are spelled with letters that aren’t pronounced when said out loud. These silent letters make learning proper spelling and pronunciation that much more difficult.
We’re here to help. Below, we’ll go over a few patterns where the silent “L” is typically found and provide a word list.
Silent “L” Patterns
Admittedly, the silent “L” isn’t that predictable. If an “L” is found towards the end of the word, before the letters “f,” “v”, “k” and “m,” but after the letter “a,” then it’s usually silent (behalf, calve, walk, almond). In many of these instances, the silent L lengthens the previous vowel sound, which gives the slight impression of the “L” /l/ sound.
Another pattern where the silent “L” is found is after the letters “ou” and before “d” (would). Keep in mind that these aren’t set rules, nor are they the only instances in which the “L” is silent. They are just common arrangements that also have some exceptions; for example, the “L” in valve is not silent.
Silent “L” Words
Here is a list of words with a silent “L.”
- almond /ˈɑːmənd/
- balk /bɔːk/
- balm /bɑːm/
- behalf /bɪˈhæf/
- calf /kæf/
- calm /kɑːm/
- calve /kæv/
- chalk /tʃɔːk/
- colonel /ˈkɜːrnl/
- could /kʊd/
- folk /fəʊk/
- half /hæf/
- halve /hæv/
- palm /pɑːm/
- psalm /sɑːm/
- salmon /ˈsæmən/
- salve /sæv/
- should /ʃʊd/
- stalk /stɔːk/
- talk /tɔːk/
- walk /wɔːk/
- would /wʊd/
- yolk /jəʊk/
I prefer almond butter over peanut butter.
Emma only eats the egg whites, never the yolks.
Silent letters are challenging. A little help could go a long way. LanguageTool—an intelligent text editor that supports more than 20 languages—can make sure your spelling is immaculate, regardless if the word contains a silent letter or not. Additionally, if you use LanguageTool as your writing assistant, it’ll help detect and correct grammar mistakes. Keep calm, and try it for free today.
Gina holds a Bachelor of Arts in English. With a passion for creating art with words, she spends her free time reading and writing. And no, we didn’t force her to say that. You can find her strolling the shorelines with her loyal canine companion, Mango, or (painfully) cheering on her favorite team, the Miami Dolphins.
Unleash the Professional Writer in You With LanguageTool
Go well beyond grammar and spell checking. Impress with clear, precise, and stylistically flawless writing instead.
Works on All Your Favorite Services
We Value Your Feedback
We’ve made a mistake, forgotten about an important detail, or haven’t managed to get the point across? Let’s help each other to perfect our writing.
