NCERT Solutions for Class 4th English Chapter 4 The case of missing ‘l’ — Let us Listen
Book page 38–39 Updated on2026-09-19
Q1.
The case of missing ‘l’. Read aloud the following lines: All that you do, Do with all your might; Things done by halves Are never done right.
Read aloud the following lines: All that you do,
Do with all your might;
Things done by halves
Are never done right.
The four lines printed inside the parchment box on page 38. The book prints
All, all and halves in bold.
Answer
Read the four lines aloud slowly. Listen carefully to the three words the book has printed in bold: All, all and halves.
Word
Do you hear the ‘l’?
How it sounds
All
Yes
“awl” — the tongue touches the roof of the mouth
all
Yes
“awl” — the same sound again
halves
No
“havz” — the l is written but not spoken
So this is the case of the missing l. In all the letter l is heard. In halves the very same letter is written, but it disappears when you say the word.
Why a letter can go missing: English does not always say every letter it writes. In some words the l became silent long ago, but people went on spelling it. Your ear must decide, not your eye.
Tip: Put your hand on your throat and say all, then halves. In all your tongue lifts to the roof of your mouth for the l. In halves it never lifts at all.
Q2.
Your teacher will read aloud a few words to you. Circle the words in which you don’t hear the ‘l’ sound.
leaf
calm
pale
jail
palm
hall
clean
calf
shelf
chalk
talk
silk
balm
plum
self
The fifteen words printed on page 39, in the same three rows as the book prints them.
Answer
Six words must be circled: calm, palm, calf, chalk, talk, balm.
Word
Is the ‘l’ heard?
How you say it
leaf
heard
leef
calm
not heard — circle it
kaam
pale
heard
payl
jail
heard
jayl
palm
not heard — circle it
paam
hall
heard
hawl
clean
heard
kleen
calf
not heard — circle it
kaaf
shelf
heard
shelf
chalk
not heard — circle it
chawk
talk
not heard — circle it
tawk
silk
heard
silk
balm
not heard — circle it
baam
plum
heard
plum
self
heard
self
Why the ‘l’ goes missing in just these six: Look at the three letters after the a. The l is silent in -alm, -alf and -alk.
-alm → calm, palm, balm
-alf → calf (and half, halves from the poem)
-alk → chalk, talk (and walk, stalk)
In every other word here the l sits beside a different letter, so it is spoken normally.
Careful with two pairs:calf and shelf look alike, but the l is silent only in calf. chalk and silk look alike, but the l is silent only in chalk. Always say the word aloud before you circle it.
Try this: Add these to the list at home — walk, talk, half, folk, yolk, salmon. The l is silent in every one of them.