4. The syllable as an integral part of the word. Types of syllables in English.

A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter. A syllable is typically made up of a syllable nucleus (most often a vowel) with optional initial and final margins (typically, consonants).

Syllables are often considered the phonological "building blocks" of words. They can influence the rhythm of a language, its prosody, its poetic meter, its stress patterns, etc.

A word that consists of a single syllable (like English cat) is called a monosyllable (such a word is monosyllabic), while a word consisting of two syllables (like monkey) is called a disyllable (such a word is disyllabic). A word consisting of three syllables (such as indigent) is called a trisyllable (the adjective form is trisyllabic). A word consisting of more than three syllables (such as intelligence) is called a polysyllable (and could be described as polysyllabic), although this term is often used to describe words of two syllables or more.

The general structure of a syllable consists of the following segments:

Onset (obligatory in some languages, optional or even restricted in others)

Rhyme

Nucleus (obligatory in all languages)

Coda (optional in some languages, highly restricted or prohibited in others)

The syllable nucleus is typically a sonorant, usually making a vowel sound, in the form of a monophthong, diphthong, or triphthong, but sometimes sonorant consonants like [l] or [r]. The syllable onset is the sound or sounds occurring before the nucleus, and the syllable coda (literally 'tail') is the sound or sounds that follow the nucleus.

Generally, every syllable requires a nucleus. Onsets are extremely common, and some languages require all syllables to have an onset. A coda-less syllable of the form V, CV, CCV, etc. is called an open syllable (or free syllable), while a syllable that has a coda (VC, CVC, CVCC, etc.) is called a closed syllable (or checked syllable).

A heavy syllable is one with a branching rime or branching nucleus – this is a metaphor, based on the nucleus or coda having lines that branch in a tree diagram. The difference between heavy and light frequently determines which syllables receive stress—this is the case in Latin and Arabic, for example.

In other languages, including English, a consonant may be analyzed as acting simultaneously as the coda of one syllable and the onset of the following syllable, a phenomenon known as ambisyllabicity. Examples occurring in Received Pronunciation include words such as arrow [ˈærəʊ], error [ˈerə], mirror [ˈmɪrə], borrow [ˈbɒrəʊ], burrow [bʌrəʊ], which can't be divided into separately pronounceable syllables: neither [æ] nor [ær] is a possible independent syllable, and likewise with the other short vowels [e ɪ ɒ ʌ].

The Six Syllable Types

There are six syllable types, and it is very helpful to new and remedial readers to be able to identify the syllable types in words. If you teach reading or teach spelling, you have probably noticed that the vowels can have different sounds. The sound that a vowel makes often depends upon what type of syllable it is in.

Here are the six syllable types, in a suggested order of teaching:

Closed Syllables

Closed syllables have one vowel, followed by a consonant. The vowel has a short sound. Examples include am, cut, him, pot, track, and French. Multisyllable words can be made up of entirely closed syllables, such as the words admonish or plastic.

Open Syllables

An open syllable ends in a vowel and the vowel usually is long. Words containing open syllables include be, so, baby, and veto.

Examples of open syllables combined with closed syllables include i>program and recess.

Vowel-Consonant-E Syllables

Vowel-Consonant-E syllables are also known as "VCE syllables" or "Magic E syllables." In this syllable type, there is a vowel followed by a consonant and silent e. The silent e makes the vowel before it long. One syllable VCE words include make and smile. There are many ultisyllable words containing the VCE syllable type, such as reptile and disclose.

Vowel Team Syllables

Vowel team syllables are sometimes referred to as "vowel pair syllables." In a vowel team syllable, two (or more) vowels come together to make one sound. Vowel teams are used in words like out or beach. Multisyllable words containing vowel team syllables include caution, loyal, and discount.

R-Controlled Syllables

This syllable type can be called a "Bossy R syllable." In r-controlled syllable types, a vowel is followed by the letter r. The r "controls" vowel, and gives it a different sound. Examples of r-controlled syllables include far, hurt, and sir.

Consonant-le Syllables

Sometimes referred to as "final, stable syllables," consonant-le syllables are normally found at the end of a word. They consist of a consonant followed by the letters le. Examples of words ending with this syllable type include turtle, middle, and table.

Combined with knowledge of the basic phonograms and spelling rules, knowing the six syllable types will allow your student to become a strong reader and speller.