Homework - Words with a silent L

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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!

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

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

So do all of you say lip baam?

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!

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

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

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

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?

Salmon

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.

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

isn't silent! Doh.

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!!

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

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

wark
tork
sammon
lip baam
paam
caam
ahmond

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.

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.

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

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

I say all Ls.

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.

DH says saying the L is a London thing.

But it is definitely said, even though just lightly.

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

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.