How to Pronounce Ell

To pronounce "ell", say ELL — one syllable, IPA /ɛl/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

ell

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

3

Letters

/ɛl/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “ell”

"ell" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with compel and propel, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: l, el, ehle, elle — easy to mix up when writing.

What does ell mean?

noun

  1. A measure for cloth. An English ell was 1 1/4 yards (45 inches), whereas a Scottish ell measured only about 37 inches and a Flemish ell was 3/4 yard (27 inches).

Hear “ell” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with ell

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

compelpropelimpelquellcitadelravelswelltelldwellshellcellexpel

Related words

fivecornerannexalcoveadditionextensionwinglle

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "ell"?▾

"Ell" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "ell"?▾

The IPA transcription of "ell" is /ɛl/.

What does "ell" mean?▾

Ell: A measure for cloth. An English ell was 1 1/4 yards (45 inches), whereas a Scottish ell measured only about 37 inches and a Flemish ell was 3/4 yard (27 inches).

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