Final answer:
The most common spellings of the sound /a/ at the end of a word in English are 'l' and 'll'. Exceptions to this pattern are very few, including words like 'isle', 'island', and 'aisle'. The letter 'a' before 'll' can represent different sounds depending on its position in the word.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the English language, the spelling of the sound /a/ at the end of a word is commonly represented by either the single letter 'l' or the double letters 'll'. This spelling pattern is consistent with the exception of a few words such as 'isle', 'island', and 'aisle'. For example, the word 'small' ends in 'all', which follows the common pattern of using 'll' to spell the /a/ sound at the end of a word.
It's also important to note the context in which these spellings occur. When ll is at the end of a free stem and an 'a' right in front of it, it spells a short 'o' sound, as in 'ball' pronounced [bol]. However, if the ll is in the middle of the stem with an 'a' right in front of it, it will spell a short 'a' sound, as in 'ballot' pronounced [bálət].