Unit 20: Approximants & Laterals
Master the /l/ and /r/ contrast, a key challenge for clarity.
Lezioni
Unit 20 Guide: Approximants /l/ and /r/
This unit focuses on the two approximants that learners most often confuse: /l/ and /r/. Although they look similar on the page, they are produced very differently inside the mouth.
/l/ — lateral approximant
- The tongue tip touches the alveolar ridge (the bump just behind the upper teeth).
- Air flows out around both sides of the tongue.
- Lips stay neutral.
/r/ — central approximant
- The tongue tip points up toward the alveolar ridge but does NOT touch anything.
- The tongue body bunches or curls slightly backward.
- Lips are slightly rounded in most English accents.
Key contrast: touching vs. not touching; spread vs. rounded lips. If your tongue makes contact, you will hear /l/. If your lips round and the tongue floats, you will hear /r/.
Practice slowly, exaggerating both positions, then blend into natural speed.