The /bl/ Sound: English Pronunciation Practice Made Easy

What is the /bl/ Sound?

First, let's look at a few examples of words with the English /bl/ Sound:

• blue
• blow
• tablet
• problem
• trouble
• table

If you need more help articulating the /bl/ Sound, check out this video to learn the correct tongue and mouth placement.

Practicing the /bl/ Sound

Everything you need to pronounce the English/bl/sound correctly is on this page. Just follow the instructions.

What do you have to do?

Practice for 5 minutes a day for 7 days.

That’s it.

Your goal is to pronounce the /bl/ sound clearly and easily by the end of day 7.

Let’s do it!

This guide to the American English/bl/sound is full of useful information. Click the link below to jump to the part you are looking for:

• Day 1 of the /bl/ sound
• Day 2 of the /bl/ sound
• Day 3 of the /bl/ sound
• Day 4 of the /bl/ sound
• Day 5 of the /bl/ sound
• Day 6 of the /bl/ sound
• Day 7 of the /bl/ sound
• Additional /bl/ sound resources
• PDF download of the /bl/ sound

Day 1: The /bl/ Sound

If you are ready, let’s start with the practice for day one.

It’s pretty simple.

Watch the video and follow along.

Listen and repeat.

🔊 Click here to listen to the audio version

Minimal Pairs

Your Goal: To feel the difference between the /bl/ sound and similar sounds like / l/.

• bleed - lead
• block - lock
• bring - bling
• broom - bloom

Vowel Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.

• blue - blow - blur - Blaire
• double - dabble - dribble

Syllable Stress Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.

• problem
• emblem
• siblings
• gambling

Reduced Sounds Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.

• We’re going to be in trouble if we gamble any more.
• You have got to stop the bleeding!

Tongue Twister Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.

• A big black bug bit a big black bear that made the big black bear bleed blood.
• A bloke's back bike brake block broke.

Day 2: The /bl/ Sound

Just like day one, except simpler.

Watch the video and follow along.

Listen and repeat.

🔊 Click here to listen to the audio version

Minimal Pairs

Your Goal: To feel the difference between the /bl/ sound and similar sounds like /l/.

• blend - lend
• blast - last
• blown - brown
• bleed - breed

Vowel Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.

• block - black - bleak - bloke
• tablet - tableau - tabloid

Syllable Stress Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.

• republican
• temblor
• sublime
• tabloid

Reduced Sounds Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.

• Why did you use bleach on the table?
• Go to the next block, look for the blue house.

Tongue Twister Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.

• A box of black biscuits, a batch of mixed black biscuits.
• The boot black bought the black boot back.

Day 3: The /bl/ Sound

Today will be the last day you only listen and repeat.

Tomorrow, you will have to start to speak.

But let’s focus on today.

Just like yesterday, watch the video and follow along.

Listen and repeat.

🔊 Click here to listen to the audio version

Minimal Pairs

Your Goal: To feel the difference between the /bl/ sound and similar sounds like /l/.

• blink - link
• blow - low
• brink - blink
• Brock - block

Vowel Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.

• blade - blood - bleed
• lovable - soluble - audible

Syllable Stress Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.

• capable
• soluble
• lovable
• notable

Reduced Sounds Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.

• How about I double the amount?
• Some of the blends are marbled.

Tongue Twister Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /bl/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.

• Blend the blown balloons with the blue crayons.
• Black bug's blood.

Day 4: The /bl/ Sound

Time to speak.

You will notice that these are the words, phrases, and sentences you repeated on day one.

Today, your job is different.

Open up a Google Doc, enable voice typing and speak.

Watch the video to see how it works.

• bleed - lead
• block - lock
• bring - bling
• broom - bloom

• blue - blow - blur - Blaire
• double - dabble - dribble

• problem
• emblem
• siblings
• gambling

• We’re going to be in trouble if we gamble any more.
• You have got to stop the bleeding!

• A big black bug bit a big black bear that made the big black bear bleed blood.
• A bloke's back bike brake block broke.

Day 5: The /bl/ Sound

Let’s revisit the words, phrases, and sentences you practiced on day two.

Just like yesterday, open up a Google Doc, enable voice typing, and get ready to speak.

Let’s do it!

• blend - lend
• blast - last
• blown - brown
• bleed - breed

• block - black - bleak - bloke
• tablet - tableau - tabloid

• republican
• temblor
• sublime
• tabloid

• Why did you use bleach on the table?
• Go to the next block, look for the blue house.

• A box of black biscuits, a batch of mixed black biscuits.
• The boot black bought the black boot back.

TIP*** Are there some words that the computer does not understand no matter how many times you say them? No worries, just skip it and move on. No one is perfect.

Day 6: The /bl/ Sound

You are so close to day 7.

Be proud that you have made it this far :)

In today’s lesson, let’s circle back to the words, phrases, and sentences you repeated on day three and practice saying them aloud.

Again, open up a Google Doc and let’s get started.

• blink - link
• blow - low
• brink - blink
• Brock - block

• blade - blood - bleed
• lovable - soluble - audible

• capable
• soluble
• lovable
• notable

• How about I double the amount?
• Some of the blends are marbled.

.

• Blend the blown balloons with the blue crayons.
• Black bug's blood.

Day 7: The /bl/ Sound

Congratulations!!!

You have made it to the very last day of this/bl/ sound practice course.

Do you feel like your pronunciation of this sound is improving?

Let’s finish with a simple, but challenging exercise.

Just like you did on days 4, 5, and 6, open up a Google Doc and enable voice typing.

This time, try to get the technology to recognize these six tongue twisters.

• A big black bug bit a big black bear that made the big black bear bleed blood.
• A bloke's back bike brake block broke.
• A box of black biscuits, a batch of mixed black biscuits.
• The boot black bought the black boot back.
• Blend the blown balloons with the blue crayons.
• Black bug's blood.

Now, turn voice typing off and try to say each tongue twister as fast as possible.

Watch the video to learn how to go through this exercise.

Additional Resources: The /bl/ Sound

Words with the /bl/ sound

Minimal Pair Collection

Minimal Pair /bl/ and / l/

• bleed - lead
• block - lock
• blend - lend
• blast - last
• blink - link
• blow - low

Minimal Pair /bl/ and /br/

• bring - bling
• broom - bloom
• blown - brown
• bleed - breed
• brink - blink
• Brock - block

Vowel Collection

• blue - blow - blur - Blaire
• double - dabble - dribble
• block - black - bleak - bloke - Blake
• tablet - tableau - tabloid
• blade - blood - bleed
• lovable - soluble - audible

Syllable Stress Collection

• problem
• emblem
• siblings
• gambling
• republican
• temblor
• sublime
• tabloid
• capable
• soluble
• lovable
• notable

Reduced Sounds Collection

• We’re going to be in trouble if we gamble any more.
• You have got to stop the bleeding!
• Why did you use bleach on the table?
• Go to the next block, look for the blue house.
• How about I double the amount?
• Some of the blends are marbled.

Tongue Twister Collection

• A big black bug bit a big black bear, made the big black bear bleed blood.
• A bloke's back bike brake block broke.
• A box of black biscuits, a batch of mixed black biscuits.
• The boot black bought the black boot back.
• Blend the blown balloons with the blue crayons.
• Black bug's blood.

Additional Resources

• Learn English Free Mind video on the consonant cluster /bl/
• English Outside The Box consonant cluster /bl/

Additional Activities for All Sounds

Practice Three Words

Answer the following question:

What do you like to do in your free time?

Pick one, two, or three words from the word bank and include them in your response. If it helps, you may write out the example sentences with the word in context first.

Youglish Research

Visit the Youglish website. Pick a word or phrase you would like to practice. Enter it into the Youglish search bar. Find three examples of the word or phrase in context to shadow.

Teacher Time

During your next English speaking practice session with a teacher or conversation partner, have a list of three to five words you would like to use. Give yourself a point every time you use the word correctly in context and it is understood. Aim to score 5 points within the first 10 minutes (so the rest of the time you focus just on communicating).

Voice Typing

Write out three sentences with challenging words or phrases. Use Google Docs or any other software with the ability to turn speech to text. Read these sentences aloud and check to see if your pronunciation is correct.

***There are a ton of possibilities. These are just a few ideas. Use the word bank, tongue twisters, example sentences, and other resources on this page to continue to work on this sound.

If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments below. I read and respond to all of them.