The American L sound can be challenging for many non-native speakers of English.  Part of the difficulty may be that we make a different sound when L is at the start of the word versus the end of the word.  To make the L at the start of the word, lift the tip of your tongue and place it behind your front teeth.  If you have trouble feeling where this is, you can say the words "tot" and "tight" and feel the tongue tap up for the "t" sounds.  The L sound is made with the tongue tip in the same place.  Try saying "tot, lot" and "tight, light."  Use the recording below to practice.

When we write, we use punctuation to separate ideas.  When we speak, we need to use pauses between phrases to separate thought groups.  If we run too many words together, it can be difficult for the listener to get the message.  If we pause in the middle of a thought group, it can also confuse the listener.  Adding or leaving out a pause incorrectly can even change the meaning of the sentence.  Here are a few examples of how incorrect phrasing can cause problems.

You can listen to the recorded samples below.