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Consonants /ŋ/ versus /l/, 60 pairs     

The /ŋ/ sound is spelled with <ng>. The /l/ sound is spelled with <l> or <ll>.

This is a contrast between a velar nasal continuant and an alveolar lateral continuant, both voiced and only occurring in syllable-final position or in syllable-closing clusters. It is not a problem except slightly for Thai learners who generally have problems with final /l/ sounds.

Interesting pairs include:

singable syllable
weaving weevil

The mean density value is low at 0.3%. The lists make 33 semantic distinctions, a loading of 55%.

bring brill 
bunk bulk 
  bunked bulked 
  bunking bulking 
  bunks bulks 
dung dull 
gang gal 
  gangs gals 
hang Hal 
Havering Haverhill 
hung hull 
hunk hulk 
  hunks hulks 
Inc ilk
ink ilk
king kill 
  kings kills 
long loll 
  longed lolled 
  longing lolling 
  longs lolls 
lung lull 
  lungs lulls 
mink milk 
  minks milks 
pang pal 
  pangs pals 
ping pill 
  pings pills 
reefing refill
ring rill 
  rings rills 
sang Sal
sing sill 
  sings sills 
singable syllable
sink silk 
  sinks silks 
skunk skulk 
  skunks skulks 
song Sol 
sting still 
  stinging stilling 
  stings stills 
stinger stiller 
sunk sulk 
swing swill 
  swinging swilling 
  swings swills 
tangy tally 
tank talc 
ting till 
  tinged tilled
  tinging tilling 
  tings tills 
weaving weevil
wing will 
  winged willed 
  winging willing 
  wings wills 

Credit: John Higgins