L Blend Words for Speech Therapy Practice: Word Lists and Activities

Words such as “glow” and “blue” contain /l/ blends. /L/ blends consist of two or more consonants: /l/ and another consonant. For this reason /l/ blends are called consonant blends or consonant clusters. Children may struggle with either consonant sound or the production of both sounds one after the other. Some children delete one of the consonants or substitute one of the consonants for another sound. 

As with any speech errors, difficulty with the production of /l/ blends can lead to poor intelligibility of speech, making it difficult for others to understand the child. If you notice your child or student struggling with /l/ blends, this resource is for you. We have created a comprehensive guide for practicing /l/ blends. It includes lists of /l/ blend words, phrases, sentences, reading passages, and games for practicing this sound. 

Word list: L Blends Word List

When your child is exhibiting difficulty producing /l/ blends, begin practicing with /l/ blends in single words. You need to include practice of /l/ blends in all word positions: initial /l/ blends, medial /l/ blends, and final /l/ blends. Below are several lists of different types of /l/ blends: /sl/, /gl/, /bl/, /kl/, /fl/, /pl/ words.

If your child also has difficulty producing the /l/ sound when not in blends, you will need to target that sound separately as well. You can find the resource for /l/ words here.

/sl/ words

Initial /sl/	Medial /sl/	Final /sl/
slap	whistler	castle
slam	bustling	tassel
slant	jostling	vessel
slapstick	rustling	thistle
slash	whistling	hustle
slate	wrestling	muscle
slay	closely	gristle
sleet	loosely	bristle
sled	densely	parcel
sleepy	priceless	morsel
sleigh	asleep	pencil
slick	bobsled	missile
slide	misleading	wrestle
slime	bracelet	tinsel
slimy	useless	counsel
slip	dislocate	jostle
slippers	disloyal	fossil
sliver	nicely
slogan	dislike
slouch	landslide
slow
slop
sloppy
slot
slush
slingshot
slowly
slideshow
slurring
slight

/gl/ words

Initial /gl/	Medial /gl/	Final /gl/
glad	ugly	wiggle
glass	igloo	juggle
glitter	wriggling	giggle
glow	giggling	snuggle
glue	juggling	toggle
glove	toggling	smuggle
glide	snuggling	boggle
glimmer	tangled	haggle
gloom	mangled	straggle
glum	dangling	gargle
glisten	wrangled	mingle
glitch	entangled	tangle
glee	England	angle
glean	Douglas	wrangle
glider	sunglasses	dangle
glade		squiggle
glamour		bugle
glare		strangle
gleam		wriggle
glacier		jingle
glutton		struggle
glib
glower

/bl/ words

Initial /bl/	Medial /bl/	Final /bl/
black	bubbling	double
blue	nobly	treble
block	sibling	dribble
blast	troubling	scribble
blank	ably	nibble
blaze	babbling	quibble
blink	scribbling	thimble
bleak	assembling	cobble
blister	tumbling	hobble
blob	stumbling	wobble
blurt	disabling	gobble
bluff	enabling	rubble
blanched	crumbling	fumble
bleach	trembling	grumble
blemish	humbling	ramble
blend	rumbling	gamble
blimp		shamble
blot		jumble
blouse		mumble
blunder		nimble
blur		noble
blabber		ensemble
blight		bramble
blonde		resemble

/kl/ words

Initial /kl/	Medial /kl/	Final /kl/
clap	include	icicle
class	conclude	obstacle
clean	proclaim	article
clear	exclaim	miracle
clip	enclose	particle
clock	recliner	pinnacle
climb	declare	vehicle
claw	excluded	oracle
clever	acclaim	cubicle
cluck	eclipse	tentacle
climate	occlusion	chronicle
clank	exclusive	barnacle
clump	enclave	spectacle
clamor	disclosure	circle
clash	unclog	encircle
clench	inclined	recycle
clapper	recluse	tricycle
cluster	declaration	popsicle
client		bicycle
clout
clover
clingy
clumsy
click
clutch

/fl/ words

Initial /fl/	Medial /fl/	Final /fl/
flag	reflection	sniffle
flame	deflated	ruffle
flap	inflation	scuffle
flat	conflict	shuffle
flake	affliction	trifle
fling	inflection	waffle
flint	reflexive	baffle
flip	inflamed	muffle
float	deflecting	stifle
flock	affluent	rifle
flood	afflicted	truffle
floor	shuffleboard	duffle
floss	reflux	kerfuffle
flow
flower
fluffy
flinch
flourish
flutter
flawless
flip-flop
flammable
flashlight
flashback

/pl/ words

Initial /pl/	Medial /pl/	Final /pl/
place	appliance	people
plan	complain	steeple
plant	depletion	triple
play	replace	maple
plate	explain	staple
please	diploma	topple
plow	apply	dimple
plug	display	sample
plum	employer	temple
plot	imply	ripple
plank	supplant	grapple
plague	replenish	apple
pluck	replanting	couple
plead	application	purple
pledge	exploit	example
plummet	explode	principle
plush	replicate
plop
plaster
pliers
pleasing
plastic
platform
planetary

L Blend Word Lists by Syllables

When practicing /l/ blends in single words, it is also important to work on /l/ blends in words containing a variety of syllables. Children need to be able to accurately produce /l/ blends in both simple contexts (single syllable words) and more challenging contexts (multisyllabic words). 

We have created word lists with /l/ blends from one to five syllables.The lists include /l/ blends words with different syllables in all word positions.

Initial /l/ blends by syllables (/l/ blends at the beginning of words)

1 Syllable	2 Syllables	3 Syllables	4 Syllables	5 Syllables
please	planet	plentiful	planetary	planetarium
plan	plummet	plantation	pluralizing	plausibility
plug	playground	platformer	pleasurable	clarification
plum	plunder	platypus	plagiarism	glorification
plot	placement	playfully	gloriously	globalization
clap	climate	climactic	gladiator
class	clover	clattering	glamorously
click	classic	cleverly	fluctuation
clean	clamor	clarity	fluorochemical
clang	classroom	classical	flamboyantly
clue	clutter	clinical
slap	slightly	slippery
slip	slogan	slithering
slick	solemn	sleepwalking
slant	slower	sluggishness
glow	glider	gleefully
gleam	glamour	glistening
glum	glitter	glaringly
glass	glaring	glorify
black	blunder	blamelessness
blink	blubber	blistering
blot	blender	blatantly
bluff	blower	blueberry
bleak	bubbly	blockbuster
flap	flutter	flippantly
flat	flavor	flourishing
flip	flannel	flattering
floss	fleshy	fluorescence
flee	flapjacks	flammable

Medial /l/ blends by syllables (/l/ blends in the middle of words)

2 Syllables	3 Syllables	4 Syllables	5 Syllables
apply	exploding	applicator	amplification
anklet	declaring	multiplying	uncontrollably
muscles	reflecting	replicator	inapplicable
struggled	explainer	publication	understandably
hustling	replacing	obligation	unquestionably
neglect	conflicted	publicity	obligatory
juggler	afflicted	establishment	inflammatory
hourglass	negligent	legislation
necklace	fiberglass	unflattering
ticklish	disabling	recyclables
baffled	recycling	implicating
include	unlikely	dislocation
duckling	publisher	complication
sibling	republic	simplicity
useless	carelessly	deflagration
applause	diploma	unemployment
complain	discipline	complexity
display	duplicate	cauliflower
fireplace	influency	inflatable

Final /l/ blends by syllables (/l/ blends at the end of words)

2 Syllables	3 Syllables	4 Syllables	5 Syllables
apple	example	recyclable	unbelievable
maple	popsicle	comprehensible	unreliable
staple	icicle	mechanical	irrefutable
ripple	particle	unshakable	disrespectable
squabble	vehicle	unthinkable	irreversible
thimble	tentacle	tablespoonful	uncontrollable
waffle	miracle	unspeakable	inconceivable
shuffle	cubicle	untraceable	unattainable
scribble	oracle	uneventful	unquestionable
dribble	chronicle	enforceable	unapproachable
quibble	triangle	applicable	indisputable
dimple	rehearsal	unmerciful	alphabetical
simple	pineapple	unicycle	chronological
thankful	disciple	methodical	geographical
careful	meaningful	historical	mathematical
beagle	illegal	reciprocal	undesirable
pickle	critical	numerical	unreasonable
marble	medical	available	unavoidable
cable	magical	eligible	incompatible
tremble	resemble	impossible
verbal	possible	incredible

Further L Blend Word Practice: Short Phrases and Sentences

Once children have mastered their production of /l/ blends at the word level, they can move on to /l/ blends in phrases, and then sentences. These are the next steps in the hierarchy of difficulty. Children will continue to gain confidence as they master these more complex contexts.

We have created lists of phrases and sentences containing /l/ blends that can be used in the activities and games we have included later in this article. 

Short Phrases with L Blends

Carrier phrases are a great place to start when introducing phrases. Carrier phrases are short phrases consisting of 2-4 words that are commonly used. These phrases can be practiced and used in functional contexts. 

Below are some examples of carrier phrases:

• “I see the  ____.”
• “I want a ____.”
• “There is the ____.”
• “Look at the ____.”
• “You have a  ____.”

The list below includes additional short phrases containing /l/ blends. 

Initial /l/ Blend	Medial /l/ Blend	Final /l/ Blend
plug it in	don’t complain	eat a pickle
glow in the dark	tangled rope	butter the waffle
flip the coin	decline quickly	drop the pebble
clap your hands	conflict arose	found a thimble
plan your trip	applied science	cut the apple
plant the seed	reclaim land	unwrap a bundle
down the slide	exploding stars	apple pie
blow some bubbles	reflection pool	park the vehicle
flap your wings	deflated tire	walk the beagle
clean the room	inflated balloon	remove the staple
sleep in	hear the applause	be careful
slip on ice	diamond necklace	keep it simple
put on slippers	recycling bin	watchful eye
slice the bread	book publisher	dribble the ball

Short Sentences with L Blends

Following success in phrases, children should move on to /l/ blends at the sentence level. Use the below list to practice /l/ blends in sentences.

Initial /l/ Blend	Medial /l/ Blend	Final /l/ Blend
Please plant the flowers near the gate.	The publisher rejected the draft of my book.	She dropped a pebble into the pond.
He used a plug to charge his phone.	She carelessly threw her dirty laundry on her bed.	The kids ate a popsicle outside.
The bird began to flutter its wings.	A sudden explosion shook the ground.	She picked up the shiny marble.
The teacher asked them to clap for the speaker.	He needed time to reflect on the idea.	He tossed the waffle onto the plate.
She wore a glittery dress to the party.	They tried to decline politely.	They tripped over a small bundle.
They decided to plan their trip early.	I brought the recycling to the curb to be picked up.	The eagle soared over the mountains.
Please slide the book across the table.	A serious conflict arose during the debate.	She added another staple to the packet.
He found a blister on his foot.	The doctor treated the inflamed tissue.	A tiny ripple formed in the water.
The kite began to flap wildly in the wind.	The balloon slowly deflated.	They had to gobble up their food.
She wore a clean apron for baking.	The stars were sparkling in the night sky.	The child loved the purple puzzle pieces.
They glanced at each other and laughed.	The meeting ended with a conclusion.	They packed the tools into a duffle bag.
He made a bold pledge to help others.	I am unlikely to win the vote for class president.	She stared at the melting icicle.
He gave a kind glance before leaving.	His team worked on a big project for replacing parts.	The apple fell from the tree.
We watched the blazing fire in silence.	I need to pass this test in order to earn my diploma.	He noticed a miracle had happened.

L Blend Word Reading Practice

After your child is confident with /l/ blends at the sentence level, they can practice producing /l/ blends while reading. This step continues to increase the difficulty level and move towards generalization of your child’s speech skills. Your child may find it helpful to go through the reading passage and underline or highlight all /l/ blend words before they read it aloud. This will help them to focus on clearly producing those words when they reach them. 

Use the following reading passages containing /l/ blends in various word positions to practice /l/ blends at the reading level. 

Luna’s Pebble Adventure

One sunny morning, Luna the ladybug woke up on a big glossy leaf. She stretched her little legs and gave her wings a flutter.

“I’m going on an adventure today!” Luna smiled. “I want to find the sparkliest pebble in the whole meadow.”

She climbed down the plant and slid across a long green blade of grass. “Wheee!” she laughed, landing with a plop in a pile of soft petals. As she walked along, she saw a group of ants building a tunnel. “Need help?” Luna asked.

“Yes, please!” said the ant with a tiny clipboard. “We need to move this apple slice to the other side.”

Luna helped flip the apple over with her wing. The ants cheered. “Thank you!”.

Next, Luna flew over a sparkling puddle. She looked down and spotted something shiny. “Could it be the pebble?”. She landed next to it and saw a beautiful purple crystal glowing in the sun.

“It’s perfect!” Luna giggled. Just then, her friend Blake the butterfly floated by. “That’s a glimmering gem! Let’s show it to Cleo the caterpillar!”

They glided through the air and landed near Cleo’s blossom bed.

“It’s the most magical pebble I’ve ever seen,” said Cleo, amazed.

The friends clapped their wings and celebrated with a picnic of flower nectar and tiny waffle crumbs. From that day on, Luna’s shiny pebble stayed tucked inside her leafy home — a sparkly reminder of her big little adventure.

Absolutely! Here’s a fun and friendly short children’s story about waffles and apples, filled with /l/ blend words in initial, medial, and final positions, using /pl/, /kl/, /sl/, /gl/, /bl/, and /fl/ blends. Great for early readers, speech practice, or storytime!

A Blended Breakfast Tale

It was a sunny morning in the town of Maple Glen. The birds were fluttering, and the flowers were in full bloom. Inside a cozy little house, Blake the bear was in the kitchen. He wore a big, blue apron and a proud smile.

“Today,” said Blake, “I’m making waffles and apple slices for all my friends!”

He got out the bowl, the flour, and his favorite waffle maker. Then he sliced up crisp apples and added a pinch of cinnamon. Just then, his best friend Cleo the cat slid into the kitchen. “Mmm, something smells yummy!”

“I’m almost ready!” said Blake. “Can you help me flip the waffles?”

Cleo nodded and grabbed the spatula. Together, they flipped each golden waffle and placed them on a big, round platter. Outside, their friends were arriving. Gloria the goat, Plum the penguin, and Flint the fox all brought their favorite toppings: blueberries, whipped cream, and a jar of maple syrup.

They sat at the picnic table under a big blossoming tree. “These are the fluffiest waffles ever!” said Plum with a giggle. Blake smiled and said, “The secret is love… and a little bit of cinnamon!”

Everyone clapped and laughed. After breakfast, they played games, told jokes, and even had a waffle-flipping contest! It was a morning full of giggles, glowing smiles, and the tastiest apple-waffle breakfast anyone could ask for.

The Great Cycle Parade

It was a bright and breezy day in the town of Twinkle Glen. The park was full of colorful streamers, giggling kids, and the sound of bells ringing. Today was the Great Cycle Parade, and everyone was invited — whether they had a tricycle, bicycle, or even a unicycle!

Trudy the turtle had a shiny red tricycle with sparkly streamers on the handles.

“I practiced all week!” Trudy said with a proud glow. “Watch me glide down the sidewalk!”

She slowly rolled forward, her wheels making a soft clack-clack on the path. Next came Benny the bear on his blue bicycle. He wore a helmet and a flannel cape that fluttered behind him as he rode.

“I love to pedal fast,” Benny said, blinking in the sun. “But I’ll be careful not to slip!”

He zig-zagged past the flowers and rang his bell with a big smile. Then came Una the unicorn — riding a tall, wobbly unicycle! Everyone gasped.

“Be careful!” called Trudy.

But Una just giggled. “Don’t worry! I’ve been practicing my balance!”

She spun in a slow circle, tossing flower petals as she went. They fluttered like tiny stars in the breeze. The friends gathered under a big blossoming tree. 

Trudy said, “My tricycle helps me feel strong.”

Benny said, “My bicycle makes me feel brave!”

Una smiled and said, “And my unicycle? It makes me feel like I can do anything!”

That night, as the sky turned gold and the clouds glowed, the friends watched fireworks and planned their next ride. Because whether it’s three wheels, two wheels, or just one, riding is more fun with friends.

Games & Activities with L Blend Words 

Games and activities are perfect for working on generalization of speech skills. Games are a functional way for your child to use their newly acquired /l/ blends in a natural context. Children are also more engaged and motivated to keep practicing during a fun activity. They can take what they have learned and play these games with you, friends, siblings, or other family members. 

Use the suggested games and activities to continue working on /l/ blends. Incorporate some of the phrases and sentences in the lists above during play. 

Block Building

Blocks are perfect for targeting /l/ blends! Have your child imitate your model creations, build one together, or have them come up with their own. As they build, target related words such as “block,” “blue,” “play, “flat,” etc. 

Bubble Pop

Bubbles are always fun for younger children. They can ask you to “blow bubbles.” Watch them
“fly” up in the air. Then every time they “deflate,” or pop, give your child an /l/ blend word to practice.

Flashlight Hide & Seek

Search for hidden items in the dark with a flashlight. For this game, you can either set out items containing /l/ blends, such as “glue,” “glove,” “slippers, “apple,”or use what is already around your house or office, such as a “table,” glass,” “plugs.” Turn off the lights and give your child a flashlight to search for the items.

Exploration Nature Walks

Take a nature walk outside, and look for all the items with /l/ blends that you can see, such as “flies,” “slugs,” “pebbles,” and “flowers.” Discuss what you are doing as you traverse through nature. “Let’s climb the hill!” “Wriggle through the bushes.” “Step slowly over the puddle.”

What is an L Blend and How to Pronounce It?

Accurate production of consonant blends requires the child to correctly produce /l/ and the other consonant, making them especially tricky. To master /l/ blends, first help your child improve their production of /l/ before tackling the entire blend. 

A common error with /l/ and /l/ blends is a substitution of /w/ for /l/. For example, a child may say “sweep” instead of “sleep.” Another common error is to delete the /l/ sound entirely. In this situation, a child may say “fat” instead of “flat.”

As a voiced consonant sound, the vocal folds will vibrate during production of /l/. The /l/ sound is later developing, and most children are able to produce it by age 6. If this is not the case, reach out to a speech language pathologist and use this resource for practice.

Pronouncing the L Blend 

To produce /l/, the tip of your tongue touches the alveolar ridge, which is the bumpy part inside your mouth behind your top front teeth. While your tongue tip is in place, release air from your lungs and turn on your voice. The air should flow out around the sides of your tongue.

How to Help Your Child Produce the L Blend Correctly

If your child has difficulty getting their tongue in the correct position for /l/ blends, you may need to stimulate the alveolar ridge and their tongue with something such as an electric or regular toothbrush. You can also put food such as peanut butter in that location for the child to lick off.

To help your child turn their voice on when producing /l/ blends, have them place their hand on your neck as you produce /l/ for them to feel the vibration. You can even have them feel the difference when you make voiced versus voiceless sounds. Then instruct the child to touch their own neck to feel for a vibration when their vocal folds vibrate as they produce /l/ blends. 

Using Forbrain to Practice L Blends

Consider adding Forbrain to your child’s practice of /l/ blends. Forbrain is a headset that utilizes auditory stimulation to provide immediate feedback as your child practices their speech sounds. When your child wears Forbrain, they can use what they hear to make adjustments to their speech in real time. The bone conduction technology allows your child to hear their own speech louder and more clearly, making Forbrain the perfect complement to /l/ blends speech therapy and practice. 

Forbrain provides additional benefits to your child’s overall communication skills. Use of Forbrain can lead to enhanced auditory discrimination, vocabulary development, and literacy skills. 

Final Words

Although it can be frustrating for you and your child when they have difficulty producing certain sounds such as /l/ blends, they can improve their intelligibility and production of /l/ blends with dedicated practice. Use these lists of /l/ blends in words, phrases, sentences, stories, and activities to help your child improve their articulation skills and boost their confidence. 

Don’t stop here! Incorporate regular practice into daily routines. This is the best way to help your child generalize their skills and understand that /l/ blends are important sounds to learn. During bathtime, use words like “bubble,” “slippery,” “splash,” and “clean.” When you cook with your child, discuss what you are doing, such as blending, plopping, flipping, and sprinkling. Have fun with it and your child will too!

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N Words P Words T Words V Words W Words Y Words Z Words SH Words WH Questions

CH Words Vocalic R Words S Blends R Blends TH Words W Blends Multisyllabic Words Multiple Meaning Words Minimal Pairs