ENGLISH SYLLABLE

DEFINITION OF SYLLABLE
Syllable is a unit of pronunciation
typically larger than a single sound
and smaller than a word.
 THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE
Technically, a syllable:
must have a centre (called peak or nucleus) which
is a vowel
 could have an onset (which is the initial part of
the syllable) that consists of either one or more
consonants.
 could have a coda (which is the final part of the
syllable) that consists of either one or more
consonants.
Other important terms:
1. Zero onset: If the syllable begins with a
vowel, it has a zero onset as in ‘ease’ /i:z/.
2. Initial Consonant cluster: If a syllable
begins with two or three consonants, such a
sequence of consonants is called a
consonant cluster. Examples: ‘play, stay,
street, split, etc’.
3. Final consonant clusters: When a syllable
have two or more consonants together at the
final position of the syllable such as ‘belt’ ,
‘bump’ and ‘bank’.

4. Zero Coda: When there is no final

consonant in a syllable as in ‘bee’
CLASSIFICATION
Closed and open syllables
• Open syllable: A syllable which ends in a vowel
is called an open syllable, e.g. he, writer.
• Closed syllable: A syllable which ends in a
consonant is called a closed syllable, e.g. it, man.
CLASSIFICATION
Weak and Strong syllables
The vowel in a weak syllable tends to be shorter, of
lower intensity and different in quality in comparison
with the vowel in strong syllables.
• the vowel /ə / (schwa)
• a syllabic consonant
SYLLABIC CONSONANTS
- syllables in which no vowel is found
Bottle, student, garden
/l, m, n, r, ŋ/
 THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE

ENGLISH SYLLABLE STRUCTURE

 THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE

ENGLISH SYLLABLE STRUCTURE

DRAW THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE

Skin screen apple

Snow smell eat

Little run repeat

Choose the best answer.
 Which syllable is formed by a vowel only?
a. sky
b. seem
c. or
d. hit
 Which syllable is formed by a vowel + a
consonant?
a. she
b. eat
c. sit
d. or
 Which syllable is formed by a consonant +
a vowel?
a. she
b. eat
c. it
d. eye
 Which syllable is formed by a consonant + a
vowel + a consonant
a. he
b. sit
c. eat
d. eye
 Which word contains a syllabic consonant?
a. neat
b. seat
c. run
d. little
 In English, a syllable is generally not formed by
______.
a. a vowel
b. one consonant + one vowel
c. one vowel + one consonant
d. two stops
 How many syllables are
there in the word garden?
a.1 b.2
c.3
d.4
 Which of the following syllable division is
correct?
a. Ger-ma-ny
b. germ-any
c. German-y
d. Ger-many
 Which of the following syllables is an open
syllable?
a. she
b. it
c. at
d. eat
 Which of the following syllable has the
structure of V?
a. talk
b. learn
c. or
d. at
 Which of the following syllables has the
full structure of onset-nucleus-code?
a. sit
b. are
c. or
d. I
 Which consonant cluster is the onset in the
word street?
a./sr/
b. /tr/
c. /str/
d. /ts/
 How many syllables are there in the word
ordinarily?
a.1
b.2
c.3.
d.4
 Which of the following words contains a
syllable of the type C + syllabic C?
a. little
b. read
c. can
d. eye
 Which of the following syllables is an open
syllable?
a. meet
b. reach
c. do
d. sit