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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

Homework - Words with a silent L

79 replies

Notcontent · 15/09/2014 21:02

Last week 8 year old dd had to write a list of words with a silent k. I thought that was ok homework as dd was able to use her dictionary to write the list - given all the words start with a k.

This week it's the silent L - and actually, it's not that straightforward.... And I say that as a highly educated professional who writes every day!

We looked on the internet and there are some words which are listed as having a silent l by some sources, where the l is now actually pronounced by some people - balm, palm, calm, almond....

Anyway, dd and I had an interesting discussion about this, but I don't think the teacher really thought this out!

OP posts:

Report

vestandknickers · 15/09/2014 21:07

There are loads. Walk, talk, half, could, would, should etc. As well as the ones you've already though of.

Notcontent · 15/09/2014 21:14

Actually, there are not loads!

Yes, there are the obvious ones - but my point is that there are some where there is a difference of opinion.

Obvious ones: could, should, would, walk, talk, half, calf, yolk, chalk, folk, colonel

OP posts:

Notcontent · 15/09/2014 21:16

So do all of you say lip baam?

OP posts:

vestandknickers · 15/09/2014 21:16

So, don't over think it. Just get your daughter to write a list of the obvious ones. She's 8. She doesn't need to write a thesis on linguistics!

frankie5 · 15/09/2014 21:17

Homework for the parents! An average 8 year old will not be able to do this on their own so I feel sorry for the ones who may not have parents who are able to help with this! I would have had to come onto MN for some help

Notcontent · 15/09/2014 21:19

Yes, I know vest - but I just get a bit cranky about this kind of homework...

OP posts:

BikeRunSki · 15/09/2014 21:21

I think quite a few people pronounce the L in Colonel now.

Notcontent · 15/09/2014 21:22

Frankie5 - yes, exactly - it's not something you can find using a dictionary. You can "google" it (which I have issues with, but that's another story..) but even then a child might just end up confused rather than actually learning something.

Or is it just me?

OP posts:

CantEvenKeepAnOrchidAlive · 15/09/2014 21:24

Salmon

vestandknickers · 15/09/2014 21:26

What's wrong with parents helping with homework? Isn't that sort of the point?

These words highlight an important spelling rule for some high frequency words. Eight year olds should be able to spell half, walk, could, should etc and this homework might help make those odd spellings stick in the brain.

Bowlersarm · 15/09/2014 21:29

I wouldn't say walk and talk were obvious at all. The 'l' is silent when I say them.

Bowlersarm · 15/09/2014 21:29

isn't silent! Doh.

Notcontent · 15/09/2014 21:32

Yes - salmon too!!

Vest - yes, I agree parents should help. My point was that when we googled it some of the words that came up are ones where I am not sure that the L is really silent. So that just confused dd. And me!!

OP posts:

Lala83 · 15/09/2014 21:36

Psalm. Extra points for silent p too! Llama?! You surely only pronounce one of them!

RustyDalek · 15/09/2014 21:42

I'd pronounce the 'l' in walk, talk and chalk, so I wouldn't say they were obvious at all!

MrsSchadenfreude · 15/09/2014 21:43

wark
tork
sammon
lip baam
paam
caam
ahmond

evertonmint · 15/09/2014 21:48

How do you pronounce the l in walk, talk and chalk?

I saw wauk, tauk, chauk. I can't actually work out how you can pronounce it with an l and it be recognisable.

BackforGood · 15/09/2014 22:02

I too don't understand how you can pronounce an 'l' in walk, talk, etc.

However, surely almond is...er.... al {then} mond

However, I am of the belief that homework set for an 8 yr old should be for an 8 yr old to do. No, they might not get all the ones you can think of, but, it's not your homework.

Bowlersarm · 15/09/2014 22:05

Wall-k, tall-k everton. One syllable though, I don't say "wall-Kay"!

Bowlersarm · 15/09/2014 22:06

And I say the l in almond. I wasn't aware people don't.

StarlightMcKenzie · 15/09/2014 22:12

I say all Ls.

MrsBungle · 15/09/2014 22:12

I would say Ah-mond not al-mond. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say wall-k or tall-k. I would say wauk tauk - so a silent L.

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StarlightMcKenzie · 15/09/2014 22:14

DH says saying the L is a London thing.

But it is definitely said, even though just lightly.

StarlightMcKenzie · 15/09/2014 22:15

So how do you say walkie talkie? is it Warky Tarky as in 'war'

AChickenCalledKorma · 15/09/2014 22:18

It's an accent thing. I'm from the east coast of Scotland and definitely pronounce the L in chalk and talk. Not in a big way, but there's definitely an L in there. I'm aware of pronouncing them differently from people around me down here (Surrey) that pronounce like chawk and tawk.

I'd agree that the Ls in could and should are definitely silent, though.

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