Syllabication Rules

Syllables are the beats that compose a word when you speak it.
When you are reading, and you are stuck on a word, follow these syllable tips
to decode the word!

SIX SYLLABLE TYPES

1. In CLOSED (VC) syllables there is only one vowel, the vowel is usually
short, and there is at least one consonant at the end.
sad rab/bit (~ 2 closed syllables)

This pattern is the most common. There are 12

variations: CVC (cup), CVCC(hand), CCVCC (fresh), CCVC (trip),
CVCCC (match), CVCCe (judge), CCVCCC(crutch), CCVCCe (grudge),
CCCVCC (script), VCC (add), VC (in), VCCC (inch).

2. The SILENT E (VCE) syllable is when there is one vowel followed by a

consonant and a final e. The vowel is long and the e is silent.
bone in/sane

This is the 3rd most common pattern. There are 4 variations: CVCe (race),
CCVCe (shave), CCCVCe (strike), VCe (ate).

3. The OPEN syllable (CV) is when the syllable ends with one vowel which will
be long.
go re/fer

This is the 4th most common pattern. There are 2 variations: CCV (she),
CV(we).
4. The R CONTROLLED syllable (Vr) is when the vowel sound is changed when
followed by r ~ ar, or, and these 3, which sound excatly the same: er, ir, ur
farm/er corn

5. The DIPHTHONG syllable (VV) has a combination of 2 vowels standing

together that have one sound.
join main/stay

This is the 2nd most common pattern. There are 12 variations: CVVC (heat),
CCVVC (treat), CVVCC (reach), CVV (pay), CCVV (play), CVVCe (leave),
CCVVCC(bleach), CCVVCe (freeze), CCCVVC (sprain), VVC (oat), VVCC (each),
CCCVV(three).

6. The CONSONANT LE syllable (Cle) is when a consonant is followed by le

to form the syllable.
bub/ble ri/fle

OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION

 Remember that sight words do not necessarily follow the syllabication rules,
for example have has a silent e, but a is the short sound.
 Every syllable has one vowel sound.
 The number of vowel sounds in a word equals the number of syllables.
home sub/ject pub/lish/ing
 A one syllable word is never divided. stop feet bell
 Consonant blends and digraphs are NEVER separated. Keep this in mind
when you have 4 medial consonants.
rest/ing bush/el reach/ing
 When there are 3 medial consonants, usually the first goes with the first
vowel, and the second two go with the second vowel. This is considered
the 1st division rule. ~ vc/ccv as in con/tract
 When a word has a ck or x in it, the word is usually divided after the ck
or x. nick/el tax/i
 When two or more consonants come between two vowels in a word, it is
usually divided BETWEEN the two consonants. sis/ter but/ter hun/gry
 When a SINGLE consonant comes between two vowels in a word, it is
divided AFTER the consonant if the vowel is SHORT. This is considered
the 3rd division rule. lev/er cab/in hab/it
 . . .but if this doesn’t sound right, divide BEFORE the consonant, to make
the vowel long! This is considered the 2nd division rule as this is more
common than words like cab/in. ba/sin fe/ver ma/jor
 When 2 vowels come together in a word, sometimes they are sounded
separately. Divide the word between the 2 vowels. di/et po/em
 A compound word is divided BETWEEN the two words that make the
compound word. in/side foot/ball tooth/brush
 tion and ture at the end of a word makes their own
syllable. lo/tion pos/ture
 When a syllable or word ends in al or el, these are usually the last
syllable. lev/el u/su/al
 The past tense ed at the end of a word forms its own syllable only when
preceded by d or t. want/ed fund/ed
 Prefixes and suffixes makes their own
syllables. un/kind kind/ness thank/ful stuff/ing dis/like
 The 4th division rule is -Cle as in can/dle and ta/ble
 The 5th division rule is v/v as in ge/ode

SYLLABLE DIVISION SAMPLES

Notice how many of the rules overlap, like the Cle (consonant le) staying together….
Identify and Divide Between the Closed 1st Syllable Open 1st Syllable
Remove Affixes Consonants (short sound)VC/V (long sound)V/CV
act/or hel/met civ/il clo/ver
loud/er af/ter plan/et do/nate
pay/ment en/joy prof/it rea/son
play/ful pup/py chap/el o/val
pre/view fan/cy riv/er ca/ble
sad/ly den/tist ol/ive ba/con
sleep/y gen/tle sher/iff ba/by
Some information was taken from Mary Briggs – Orton Gilliingham – Commonwealth
Learning Center, Newton, MA

http://www.mrsjudyaraujo.com/