/l/ — choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the word in which the consonant sound /l/ is actually pronounced. In English, some words contain the letter "l" but it is silent, so this question tests whether you can tell the difference between spelling and sound.

Explain the concept: The letter "l" is silent in many words, especially when it comes after the vowel "a" and before certain consonants (m, k, f, v) or in "would/could/should".

Step-by-step solution:

• A. calm is pronounced /kɑːm/. The "l" is silent, so there is no /l/ sound.
• B. lamb is pronounced /læm/. The "l" is at the start of the word and is clearly pronounced, so it has /l/. (The "b" is silent, but that does not matter here.)
• C. could is pronounced /kʊd/. The "l" is silent, so there is no /l/ sound.
• D. salmon is pronounced /ˈsæmən/. The "l" is silent, so there is no /l/ sound.

Answer: Only lamb contains the sound /l/, so the correct option is B.

Tip: In questions like this, don't trust the spelling. Say each word aloud and listen for the sound. Remember the silent "l" group: calm, palm, half, talk, walk, salmon, could, would, should. If a word starts with "l" (like lamb), the /l/ is almost always pronounced.