STRONG AND

WEAK
SYLLABLES
REVIEW MIDTERM TEST (10 QUESTIONS)
 The quadrilateral of cardinal vowels
We use the quadrilateral of cardinal vowels to describe the English
short and long vowels

Front Central Back

i u
Close • iː • uː

•ɪ •ʊ
Close - mid e o
• ɔː
•ə
•e
ɜː •
Open - mid ɛ ɔ
•ʌ
•æ •ɒ
• ɑː
Open a ɑ
Unround Rounded
Strong vs. Weak Syllables
Strong syllable: a strong vowel (central) (except /ə/)

Strong syllable stressed syllable

Weak syllable unstressed syllable /ə/, [i], [u], /ɪ/, /ʊ/

 The differences between strong and weak syllables:

 Length: Strong syllables are longer than weak syllables.

 Loudness: Strong syllables are louder than weak syllables.

 Feature: Strong syllables have vowels the differ in quality from the vowels of

weak syllables.
 The syllable is weak when it has the short vowel /ə/ (Schwa).
 Example: better /betə/ - The second syllable is weak.
 The syllable is weak when it has the close front unrounded vowel /i/.
 Example: city /sɪti/ - The second syllable is weak.
 The syllable is weak when it has the close back rounded vowel /u/.
 Example: thank you /θæŋk ju/ - The second syllable is weak.
 The syllable is weak when it has a syllabic consonant /m̩ , n,̩ ŋ,̩ l,̩ r̩/.
 Example: couple /kʌpl/̩ - The second syllable is weak.
 The syllable is weak when it ends with the short vowel /ɪ/ and the next
syllable starts with a consonant.
 Example: design /dɪzaɪn/ - The first syllable is weak.
 STRONG SYLLABLES
The syllable is strong when it has a long vowel or
diphthong. ‘see’ /si:/

The syllable is strong when it has a short vowel (i, e, æ, ʌ,

ɒ, ʊ), followed by at least a consonant. ‘bat’ /bæt/

 An open syllable has no consonant at the end of it.

 A closed syllable has a consonant at the end of it.
• /ə/ is the weakest vowel in English and
the most frequently occurring one.

• Only five consonants can be syllabic

consonant in English: /m̩ , n̩, ŋ,̩ l,̩ r̩/.
List of important words with syllabic consonants:
cattle wrestle bottle muddle
trouble knuckle panel kernel
pedal threaten eaten happen
often uppermost preference Hungary
veteran garden rhythm bottom
literal visionary couple struggle
blossom Handle parcel Petal
national history seven Heaven
How many syllables are there in the following words? Which one is strong?
1. allow
2. happy
3. carelessness
4. remember
5. standard

6. allow /əˈlaʊ/
7. happy /ˈhæpi/
8. carelessness /ˈkeələsnəs/
9. remember / rɪˈmembə/
10. standard /ˈstændəd/
The schwa /Ə/
Stressed syllable Unstressed syllable
- Strong vowel - - Weak vowel -

Every easy to hear Difficult to hear

 The schwa /Ə/

/ə/ (“schwa”):
• only in unstressed syllables
• main weak vowel of English

Many strong vowels lose their distinct analyze /ˈænəlaɪz/ - analysis /əˈnæləsɪs/

quality and are replaced by schwa when
they lose stress.

In unstressed syllables, schwa is often orange /ˈɒrɪnʤ/ or /ˈɒrənʤ/

interchangeable with either /ɪ/ or /ʊ/.

neutralization
[i] distribution - unstressed syllable only

If a syllable containing /i:/ or /ɪ/ follows these

situations, it must contain /i/

“y” or “ey”
(final position) happy /ˈhæpi/, valley /ˈvæli/
/u/ distribution  not common

In “you, to, into, do, through, who (unstressed)”

 QUIZ 7
DEADLINE: FRIDAY at 10 p.m.
REMINDER

1. REVIEW WEEK 1,2,3,4,5

2. STUDY WEEK 7
3. DO QUIZ 7
4. GROUP PROJECT WEEK 8