Syllable Appendix (pdf)

Many reading programs recognize six common types of syllables; as always, there are exceptions. Reading programs refer to these syllable types by slightly different names, and some describe additional, less common, syllable types. Recognizing the six common types of syllables will help readers to decode words and know where to divide words for reading and spelling.

1. Closed syllable: has one vowel at the beginning or in the middle of the syllable, which usually has a short sound (e.g. cat, it, speck, con-trast).

2. Open syllable: has one vowel at the end of the syllable, which usually has a long sound (e.g. me, hi, de-fend).

3. Vowel team/vowel dipthong syllable: has two vowels—or a vowel and consonant in the case of ow, ew, aw-- together that usually make just one vowel sound (ee, ea, oi, ou, oa, oy, eu, etc.). Examples: feet, stream, float, blow, found.

4. Vowel-consonant-e syllable: the first vowel usually has its long sound (e.g. –ite, -ope, -ane, -ize, etc.). Examples: strike, spoke, trade, per-vade.

5. R-controlled syllable: all of the vowels combined with r (e.g. er, ir, or, ar, ur). Examples: her, third, curt, sharp, porch.

6. Consonant-le syllable: usually the final syllable of a word. The only syllable pattern in which the vowe does not make a sound (e.g. –ble, -cle, -ckle, -dle, -fle, -gle, -ple, -tle, -zle, -stle). Examples: bram-ble, un-cle, ma-ple, puz-zle.