Hard and Soft Consonants

Many Russian consonants contrast hard and palatalized soft versions; following vowels or the soft sign can signal softness.
This lesson focuses on what “Hard and Soft Consonants” describes and the relationship stated in the core idea.
Read every condition in the core statement before applying it.
Separate the information given from the result you are trying to explain.
Keep the key terms in the same roles used in the statement.
Connect the rule to this example: лук (onion/bow) has hard л, while люк (hatch) has soft л before ю.
The example shows how the idea works in a concrete situation.
If a new case changes the conditions, check the rule again instead of assuming the same result.
Explain the conclusion and identify which part of the concept supports it.
Quick check: restate the idea in your own words and point to where it appears in the example.

лук (onion/bow) has hard л, while люк (hatch) has soft л before ю.
First, read the situation carefully and identify what is being shown.
Pick out the relevant facts, terms, or values before drawing a conclusion.
Recall the core concept: Many Russian consonants contrast hard and palatalized soft versions; following vowels or the soft sign can signal softness.
Apply the relevant part of that concept to the facts in this example.
Keep the stated conditions, labels, and units consistent as you reason.
Make the intermediate reasoning clear before stating the result.
Interpret the result in the context of “Hard and Soft Consonants,” not as an isolated answer.
Check that the result still matches the original information and conditions.
Practice transfer: create a similar case and explain whether the same concept applies.