One L, Two Shapes: English's Hidden Dark L

Say 'light' and then 'full'. Even though both use the letter l, English actually makes two different sounds: a light, front-of-the-mouth l before vowels, and a darker, heavier l after vowels or at the end of words, where the back of your tongue lifts toward your throat. Polish typically uses one l shape everywhere, so the ending sound in words like 'full', 'milk', or 'feel' can come out too light and thin. Try this: say 'feel' and, right at the l, pull the back of your tongue up and back, almost like you're starting to say a quiet 'w' underneath the l. Practice 'feel/fill', 'milk', and 'full' this way for two minutes, feeling the back-of-tongue lift each time. Once this dark l becomes automatic, your endings will sound noticeably fuller and more natural.