Initial L Words for Speech Therapy

Word list

Words without competing sounds

• lab
• labs
• lace
• lack
• laid
• lake
• lakes
• lamb
• lamp
• lamps
• lance
• land
• lands
• lane
• lanes
• lang
• lap
• las
• last
• lat
• late
• laugh
• launch
• launched
• law
• lawn
• laws
• lay
• lead
• leads
• leaf
• league
• lean
• learn
• learned
• lease
• least
• leave
• leaves
• led
• lee
• left
• leg
• legs
• length
• lens
• les
• less
• let
• lets
• leu
• lib
• lid
• lie
• lies
• life
• lift
• light
• lights
• like
• liked
• likes
• lime
• line
• lined
• lines
• link
• linked
• links
• lip
• lips
• list
• lists
• lit
• lite
• live
• lived
• lives
• load
• loads
• loan
• loans
• lock
• locked
• locks
• lodge
• log
• logged
• logs
• lone
• long
• look
• looked
• looks
• loop
• loops
• loose
• los
• lose
• loss
• lost
• lot
• lots
• lou
• loud
• lounge
• love
• loved
• loves
• low
• lows
• luck
• luke
• lunch
• lung
• label
• labeled
• labels
• labor
• labour
• ladder
• laden
• ladies
• lady
• lambda
• landing
• landscape
• landscapes
• laptop
• laptops
• laser
• lasting
• lately
• later
• latest
• latex
• latter
• laughing
• launches
• lawsuit
• layer
• layers
• layout
• lazy
• leader
• leaders
• leading
• learners
• learning
• leasing
• leather
• leaving
• lecture
• lectures
• legal
• legend
• legends
• leisure
• lemon
• lender
• lenders
• lending
• lenses
• leone
• lesser
• lesson
• lessons
• letter
• letters
• letting
• level
• levels
• levy
• lewis
• licence
• license
• licensed
• licking
• lifestyle
• lifetime
• lighter
• lighting
• lightning
• likely
• limit
• limits
• linking
• linux
• lion
• lions
• listed
• listen
• listing
• listings
• little
• liver
• livestock
• living
• loaded
• loading
• lobby
• local
• locale
• locate
• locking
• lodging
• logan
• logging
• logic
• login
• logo
• logos
• lonely
• longer
• longest
• looking
• lookup
• losing
• losses
• lotus
• louis
• lovely
• lover
• lovers
• loving
• lower
• lowest
• lucky
• luggage
• lying
• latina
• latino
• latitude
• leadership
• legacy
• legally
• lesbian
• lesbians
• liable
• liberal
• liberty
• licenses
• licensing
• likelihood
• limited
• limiting
• limousines
• linear
• lingerie
• listening
• locally
• located
• location
• locations
• locator
• logical
• logistics
• longitude
• lottery
• luxury
• legislation
• legislative
• legislature
• legitimate
• limitation
• limitations
• literacy
• literally
• literature
• litigation
• liabilities
• liability

Worksheet preview

About Initial L words

90% of children produce /l/ by 4;11 (Crowe & McLeod, 2020). In the initial position the usual error is gliding: /w/ or /y/ replaces the L, so light becomes wight and yellow becomes yeyow.

Initial L is a visible target. The tongue tip contacts a spot the child can see in a mirror and feel with a finger, which makes it one of the more teachable placements — and one reason it often resolves before final L does.

Practising Initial L

Because the contact point is visible, a mirror does much of the work in this position. Single-syllable entries let the child hold the L a beat longer than natural speech allows, which makes the contact easier to feel.

Acquisition ages: Crowe & McLeod (2020), American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Educational content — an SLP chooses the target for a specific child.

Frequently asked questions

How many words have /l/ in the initial position?

Our dictionary lists 295 initial /l/ words suitable for speech therapy practice.

What are some example initial /l/ words?

Examples include lab, labs, lace, lack, laid, lake, lakes, lamb.

Is initial L the same sound as final L?

Not quite. Initial L is the light or clear L; the L at the end of a word is the dark L, made with the back of the tongue raised as well. They are the same phoneme but different enough that children often master one long before the other.

What is gliding on L?

Replacing the L with a glide — /w/ or /y/ — so look becomes wook. It is a normal simplification in toddlers and becomes a concern when it persists past the age when L is typically established.