Why 'Feel' Might Come Out as 'Feew'

In Brazilian Portuguese, an L at the end of a syllable, like in 'Brasil,' softens into something close to a 'w' sound — your tongue never actually touches the roof of your mouth. That same habit can slip into English words like 'feel,' 'school,' or 'people,' turning them into something closer to 'feew,' 'schoow,' or 'peopoo.' English, though, needs your tongue tip to stay lightly in contact behind your top teeth for this sound, even as the back of your tongue pulls up and back. Try this: say 'feel' very slowly, and pause right at the L — check that your tongue tip is actually touching, not floating in the air. Then do the same with 'school' and 'people.' It can feel unnatural at first, almost too effortful, but that contact is exactly what separates an English L from a vowel glide. Practice a few words a day, and this small tongue habit will start feeling automatic.