Classification of syllables

Syllable – A syllable is a word or part of a word that has one vowel sound.

For example: chair – 1 clap, table- 2 claps, tomato – 3 claps, television – 4 claps.

The Six Syllable Types:

1. Closed syllable – a closed syllable ends in a consonant and usually has one short vowel*. Examples: hat, ship, think, pet, dog, cat, doll

2. Vowel-consonant-e syllable (also called silent-e syllable) – a vowel-consonant-e syllable ends with a silent ‘e’ and usually has a long vowel sound*. The final ‘e’ is only there to signal that the vowel before it says its own name. Examples: hate, shape, time, slope, cute, spite

3. Open syllable – an open syllable ends with a vowel and usually has a long vowel sound. Examples: go, a, I, try, go, flu, he, we, ba by (both)

[NOTE: Y in the middle or at the end of a syllable is a vowel. Y at the beginning of a syllable is a consonant. Y at the end of one syllable usually makes a long /ī/ sound. Y as the end of a multi-syllable word usually makes a long /ē/ sound]

4. Consonant-le syllable – a consonant-le syllable is usually found at the end of a two syllable word. It always has three letters—any consonant followed by the letters ‘l’ and ‘e.’ The ‘e’ is always silent. Examples: bat tle, lit tle, raf fle, drib ble, min gle, sim ple

5. R-controlled syllable – in an r-controlled syllable the vowel is always followed by the letter ‘r’ which changes the sound of the vowel. Examples: car, bat ter, fir, col or, tur mer ic (has 2)

6. Vowel digraph syllable – a vowel digraph syllable has two vowels together that make one sound. Examples: re treat, green, quaint, out, true

VOPROS