Phonics word list
L blend words
In short
L blends are a consonant followed by l at the start of a word: bl, cl, fl, gl, pl and sl, as in black, clap, flag, glad, plum and slip. You hear both sounds. Our checked list has 969 words that start with an l blend.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 969
- By syllables
- one syllable: 489 · two syllables: 427 · three or more syllables: 53
- Taught in
- Lesson 35c in the sequence
L blend words, most common first
Spelling units show how each word breaks into the letters that spell one sound; a_e is a vowel and silent e working together. Readable after is the first lesson where a student can sound out the whole word.
bl (blow, blue)
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| blow | b·l·ow | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| blue | b·l·ue | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| black | b·l·a·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| blame | b·l·a_e·m | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| blank | b·l·a·n·k | 1 | Lesson 52 |
| block | b·l·o·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| blew | b·l·ew | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| blob | b·l·o·b | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| blade | b·l·a_e·d | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| blast | b·l·a·s·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| bless | b·l·e·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| blind | b·l·i·n·d | 1 | Lesson 72 |
| blink | b·l·i·n·k | 1 | Lesson 52 |
| bliss | b·l·i·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| blood | b·l·oo·d | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| blown | b·l·ow·n | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| blows | b·l·ow·s | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| blues | b·l·ue·s | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| blurb | b·l·ur·b | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| blacks | b·l·a·ck·s | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| blades | b·l·a_e·d·s | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| blamed | b·l·a_e·m·d | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| blames | b·l·a_e·m·s | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| blanks | b·l·a·n·k·s | 1 | Lesson 52 |
cl (club, clue)
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| club | c·l·u·b | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clue | c·l·ue | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| claim | c·l·ai·m | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| class | c·l·a·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| clean | c·l·ea·n | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| clear | c·l·ear | 1 | Lesson 113 |
| clock | c·l·o·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| close | c·l·o_e·s | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| claims | c·l·ai·m·s | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| clears | c·l·ear·s | 1 | Lesson 113 |
| closed | c·l·o_e·s·d | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| claimed | c·l·ai·m·ed | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| cleared | c·l·ear·ed | 1 | Lesson 113 |
| clever | c·l·e·v·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| closer | c·l·o·s·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| closes | c·l·o·s·e·s | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| classes | c·l·a·ss·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| clearer | c·l·ear·er | 2 | Lesson 113 |
| clearly | c·l·ear·l·y | 2 | Lesson 113 |
| closely | c·l·o_e·s·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| closest | c·l·o·s·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| closing | c·l·o·s·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| claiming | c·l·ai·m·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 84 |
| clearest | c·l·ear·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 113 |
fl (fly, flag)
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| fly | f·l·y | 1 | Lesson 73 |
| flag | f·l·a·g | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flat | f·l·a·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flew | f·l·ew | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| flow | f·l·ow | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| flash | f·l·a·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| flies | f·l·ie·s | 1 | Lesson 110 |
| float | f·l·oa·t | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| floor | f·l·oor | 1 | Lesson 78 |
| flown | f·l·ow·n | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| flight | f·l·igh·t | 1 | Lesson 87 |
| floats | f·l·oa·t·s | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| flashed | f·l·a·sh·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| flying | f·l·y·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 73 |
| flashes | f·l·a·sh·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| floated | f·l·oa·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| flashing | f·l·a·sh·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| floating | f·l·oa·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| flexible | f·l·e·x·i·b·le | 3 | Lesson 75 |
| flaw | f·l·aw | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| flip | f·l·i·p | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flags | f·l·a·g·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flame | f·l·a_e·m | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| flaws | f·l·aw·s | 1 | Lesson 93 |
gl (glad, glass)
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| glad | g·l·a·d | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| glass | g·l·a·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| global | g·l·o·b·a·l | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| glow | g·l·ow | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| glue | g·l·ue | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| glean | g·l·ea·n | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| glove | g·l·o·v·e | 1 | Lesson 62 |
| glows | g·l·ow·s | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| glance | g·l·a·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| gloves | g·l·o·v·e·s | 1 | Lesson 62 |
| glowed | g·l·ow·ed | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| gleaned | g·l·ea·n·ed | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| glory | g·l·or·y | 2 | Lesson 78 |
| gladly | g·l·a·d·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| glossy | g·l·o·ss·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| glasses | g·l·a·ss·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| glowing | g·l·ow·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| globally | g·l·o·b·a·ll·y | 3 | Lesson 74 |
| glorious | g·l·or·i·ou·s | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| glee | g·l·ee | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| glen | g·l·e·n | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| glib | g·l·i·b | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| glum | g·l·u·m | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| glut | g·l·u·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
pl (plan, play)
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| plan | p·l·a·n | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| play | p·l·ay | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| plea | p·l·ea | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| plot | p·l·o·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| plug | p·l·u·g | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| plus | p·l·u·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| place | p·l·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| plain | p·l·ai·n | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| plane | p·l·a_e·n | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| plans | p·l·a·n·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| plant | p·l·a·n·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| plays | p·l·ay·s | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| plots | p·l·o·t·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| placed | p·l·a·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| played | p·l·ay·ed | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| please | p·l·ea·s·e | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| planned | p·l·a·nn·ed | 1 | Lesson 107 |
| pleased | p·l·ea·s·ed | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| places | p·l·a_e·c·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| planet | p·l·a·n·e·t | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| plenty | p·l·e·n·t·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| placing | p·l·a·c·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| plastic | p·l·a·s·t·i·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| playing | p·l·ay·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 84 |
sl (slip, slow)
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| slip | s·l·i·p | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| slow | s·l·ow | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| sleep | s·l·ee·p | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| slight | s·l·igh·t | 1 | Lesson 87 |
| slower | s·l·ow·er | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| slowly | s·l·ow·l·y | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| slowest | s·l·ow·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| slightly | s·l·igh·t·l·y | 2 | Lesson 87 |
| slag | s·l·a·g | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| slid | s·l·i·d | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| slim | s·l·i·m | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| slot | s·l·o·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| slang | s·l·a·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| slash | s·l·a·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| slave | s·l·a_e·v | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| slept | s·l·e·p·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| slice | s·l·i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| slide | s·l·i_e·d | 1 | Lesson 55 |
| slips | s·l·i·p·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| slope | s·l·o_e·p | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| slots | s·l·o·t·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| slows | s·l·ow·s | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| slaves | s·l·a_e·v·s | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| sleeps | s·l·ee·p·s | 1 | Lesson 85 |
When do these words become readable?
The lessons where the most words on this page become decodable. Words marked not in the sequence have a spelling the sequence never teaches as a pattern.
How do you teach l blend words?
The l slides in under the first sound, so students often swallow it. Teach the l blends with a stretch: "Ffflag. Can you hear the /l/ after /f/?" Start with fl and sl, where the first sound can be held, then move to bl, cl, gl and pl, where it can't. Build each word from its base: lap to clap, lip to slip, lot to plot.
What mistake do students make with l blend words?
Young students substitute w for l (fwag for flag). That is often speech, not reading, and an SLP may already be on it. For reading and spelling, the error to fix is leaving the l out. Say the word with a long l, have the student repeat, then tap the sounds.
Where do l blend words come in the sequence?
L blends usually come with the other beginning blends, right after the short vowel reviews. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 35c.
Exceptions worth knowing
In a few words the l belongs to the next syllable, as in table or ugly, so it is not a blend. Sl and pl begin many longer words (slender, planet) where the vowel may be short or long.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 35c or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- The flag is on a plum box.
- A slug slid on the flat mat.
- Clap if you are glad.
Questions people ask
What are 5 l blend words?
What are the l blends?
Why do kids say w instead of l in flag?
When can a student read l blend words?
How this list was built
Every word comes from our lexicon of common English words, each split into spelling units and checked against a pronouncing dictionary, so a word is listed under the sound its spelling really makes. Words a student sees in our assessments are left out. The readable after lesson comes from our decodability engine, which checks each spelling unit and syllable pattern against the lesson sequence. You can run your own text through the same engine with the free decodable text checker.