Syllable Types Practice
Categorize the words below by their syllable type.
1. hat
2. me
3. car
4. boat
5. bake
6. ran
7. stir
8. mail
9. run
10. go
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
take
hi
fast
race
peel
cape
he
for
seat
fun
Closed Syllable
Open Syllable
r-Controlled
Syllable
Vowel Team
Syllable
Vowel-Silent e
Syllable
Consonant –le
Syllable
cat
she
star
sail
rake
bottle
MOST FREQUENT PREFIXES
Prefix
Meaning
Key Word
Origin
anti-
against
antifreeze
Latin
de-
opposite
defrost
Latin
dis- *
not, opposite of
disagree
Latin
en-, em-
cause to
encode, embrace
Latin
fore-
before
forecast
Latin
in-, im-
in
infield
Latin
in-, im-, il-, ir- *
not
injustice, impossible
Latin
inter-
between
interact
Latin
mid-
middle
midway
Latin
mis-
wrongly
misfire
Latin
non-
not
nonsense
Latin
over-
over
overlook
Anglo-Saxon
pre-
before
prefix
Latin
re- *
again
return
Latin
semi-
half
semicircle
Latin
sub-
under
submarine
Latin
super-
above
superstar
Latin
trans-
across
transport
Latin
un- *
not
unfriendly
Anglo-Saxon
under-
under
undersea
Anglo-Saxon
MOST FREQUENT SUFFIXES
Suffix
Meaning
Key Word
Origin
-able, -ible
can be done
comfortable
Latin
-al, -ial
having characteristics of
personal
Latin
-ed *
past-tense verb
hopped
Anglo-Saxon
-en
made of
wooden
Latin
-er
comparative
higher
Anglo-Saxon
-er, -or
one who
worker, actor
Anglo-Saxon
-est
comparative
biggest
Anglo-Saxon
-ful
full of
careful
Anglo-Saxon
-ic
having characteristics of
linguistic
Latin
-ing *
verb form/present participle
running
Anglo-Saxon
-ion, -tion, -ation, -ition
act, process
occasion, attraction
Latin
-ity, -ty
state of
infinity
Latin
-ive, -ative, -itive
adjective form of a noun
plaintive
Latin
-less
without
fearless
Anglo-Saxon
-ly *
characteristic of
quickly
Anglo-Saxon
-ment
action or process
enjoyment
Latin
-ness
state of, condition of
kindness
Anglo-Saxon
-ous, -eous, -ious
possessing the qualities of
joyous
Latin
-s, -es *
more than one
books, boxes
Anglo-Saxon
-y
characterized by
happy
Latin
Example 1:
Two syllable words (with no affixes)
char/coal
1. Cover the second syllable coal.
2. Use the signaling procedure to focus students on the potentially difficult
spelling in the first syllable ar and say, “Sound?”.
3. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under char.
4. Uncover the second syllable and cover the first syllable char.
5. Use the signaling procedure to focus students on the potentially difficult
spelling oa and say, “Sound?”.
6. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under coal.
7. Uncover the first syllable to reveal the whole word.
8. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under each
syllable.
9. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Word?”. Slide hand under entire
word.
10.If students have a difficult time pronouncing the word, place the word in
context for them and ask them if it sounds like a word they know. Try to get
them to adjust the pronunciation based on context and the structure of the
sentence. If they still can’t get the pronunciation, tell them.
Example 2:
Two syllable words (that contain an inflectional ending)
paint/ed
1. Cover the second syllable ed (inflectional ending).
2. Use the signaling procedure to focus students on the potentially difficult
spelling in the first syllable ai and say, “Sound?”.
3. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under paint.
4. Uncover the second syllable and cover the first syllable paint.
5. Use the signaling procedure to focus students on the inflectional ending ed
and say, “Say /ed/”.
6. Uncover the first syllable to reveal the whole word.
7. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under each
syllable.
8. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Word?”. Slide hand under entire
word.
9. If students have a difficult time pronouncing the word, place the word in
context for them and ask them if it sounds like a word they know. Try to get
them to adjust the pronunciation based on context and the structure of the
sentence. If they still can’t get the pronunciation, tell them.
Example 3:
Two syllable words (that contain a prefix)
dis/like
1. Cover the second syllable like.
2. Option # 1- If you have taught dis as a prefix:
Use the signaling procedure to focus students on dis and say, “Prefix?”.
Slide finger under dis.
Option # 2 – If students have not learned the prefix dis:
Use the signaling procedure to focus students on the potentially difficult
spelling i and say, “Sound?”.
Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under dis.
3. Uncover the second syllable and cover the first syllable dis.
4. Use the signaling procedure to focus students on the potentially difficult
spelling i_e and say, “Sound?”.
5. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under like.
6. Uncover the first syllable to reveal the whole word.
7. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under each
syllable.
8. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Word?”. Slide hand under entire
word.
9. If students have a difficult time pronouncing the word, place the word in
context for them and ask them if it sounds like a word they know. Try to get
them to adjust the pronunciation based on context and the structure of the
sentence. If they still can’t get the pronunciation, tell them.
Example 4:
Two syllable words (that contain a suffix)
weak/ness
1. Cover the second syllable ness.
2. Use the signaling procedure to focus students on the potentially difficult
spelling ea and say, “Sound?”.
3. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under weak.
4. Uncover the second syllable and cover the first syllable weak.
5. Option # 1- If you have taught ness as a suffix:
Use the signaling procedure to focus students on ness and say, “Suffix?”.
Slide finger under ness.
Option # 2 – If students have not learned the suffix ness:
Use the signaling procedure to focus students on the potentially difficult
spelling e and say, “Sound?”.
Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under ness.
6. Uncover the first syllable to reveal the whole word.
7. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Blend.” Sweep finger under each
syllable.
8. Use the signaling procedure and say, “Word?”. Slide hand under entire
word.
9. If students have a difficult time pronouncing the word, place the word in
context for them and ask them if it sounds like a word they know. Try to get
them to adjust the pronunciation based on context and the structure of the
sentence. If they still can’t get the pronunciation, tell them.