What are SYLLABLES?

Syllables are the number of beats in a word. Syllables are determined by PRONUNCIATION, not spelling.

Almost always, each syllable contains a vowel (A, E, I, O, U) and/or a "Y".

Additionally, syllables are combinations of vowels and consonants (any letter other than a, e, i, o, u).



Example:

How many beats are there in the word remember?   [Answer]



It may help you HEAR syllables by LISTENING for consonants as consonants often start a syllable:

e.g.
    ♣ combination = com  bi  na  tion = 4 syllables

    ♣ fascinate = fa  sci  nate = 3 syllables



There are no ABSOLUTE rules for dividing words up into syllables when writing out syllables. Below are some suggestions...


Not ALL syllables can be identified by LISTENING for consonants. Some words contain syllables which need to begin with vowels, e.g.
    ♣ piano = pi  a  no = 3 syllables



Where words contain DOUBLE LETTERS, you can split the double letters into two syllables, e.g.
    ♣ letter = let  ter = 2 syllables

    ♣ accommodation = ac  com  mo  da  tion = 5 syllables



Word length and spelling do not determined how many syllables a word has. It is always a good idea to SAY a word to HEAR the syllables. These words all have just ONE SYLLABLE:
    ♣ scratch = scratch = 1 syllable
    ♣ pot = pot = 1 syllable
    ♣ scrunched = scrunched = 1 syllable
    ♣ pour = pour = 1 syllable

Suffixes can often create at least one syllable. Suffixes which create extra syllables do not always start with a consonant. Not all suffixes (e.g. -ed) create extra syllables.
E.g.
    ♣ fully = ful  ly = 2 syllables

    ♣ wonderfully = won  der  ful  ly = 4 syllables

    ♣ standing = sand  ing = 2 syllables (you can have stan ding, but isolating the suffix is useful when the root word's spelling has not been altered and there are no double letters - see the next word below)

    ♣ liking = li  king = 2 syllables (you can have lik ing, but it would make pronouncing "lik" different to how it should be when you read it.)

    ♣ stopped = stopped = 1 syllable

    ♣ wonderfully = won  der  ful  ly = 4 syllables



Try these for yourself:

    ♣slim   [Answer]

    ♣climbing   [Answer]

    ♣summarising   [Answer]

    ♣clump   [Answer]

    ♣creation   [Answer]

    ♣rummaging   [Answer]

    ♣hotel   [Answer]

    ♣canary   [Answer]

    ♣near   [Answer]

    ♣trampoline   [Answer]