Syllable Types
Jovanni Ramos
Summer Word Study
Fundations teaches the different syllable types in Level 2. A syllable is a word or word
part made by one push of breath. A syllable must have at least one vowel. Students
should know how to break apart a word into syllables orally (clapping out syllables) and
visually while reading (words are chunked/ broken when two consonants are next to each
other, except when the two consonants are apart of a digraph [or glued sound]). Knowing
a syllable type is important when spelling words and deciding the possible spelling
options.
Syllable Name
Characteristics
Closed Syllable
1. can only have 1
vowel
2. the vowel is
followed by one or
more consonants
3. the vowel sound
is short
(p.7)
Exceptions/
Special Rules
In -ind, -ild, -old,
-olt, and –ost
words the vowel
usually has a long
sound even though
it is a closed
syllable.
(p.8)
Examples
Try It/ Find It
Closed syllables:
cat
last
napkin
off
quiz
hill
edit
Closed syllables:
Closed Syllable
Exceptions:
Closed Syllable
Exceptions:
mold
child
Vowel-Consonant-e
words
(p. 7)
Open Syllable
(p. 7)
1. has one vowel,
then a consonant,
then an e
2. the first vowel
sound is long
3. the e is silent
1. has one vowel
which is the last
letter of the
syllable
2. the vowel sound
is long
1. No English
word ends in the
letter v, therefore,
when a word has a
vowel, then the
letter v, and then
an e the vowel may
be long or short.
( the suffix –ive
follows this
exception)
(p. 8)
2. In silent e words
the /z/ sound is
either an s or z
(dictionary).
Vowel-Consonant-e
words:
1. The letter y becomes
a vowel when in an
open syllable. In a one
syllable words it makes
the long i sound and in
two syllable words
makes the long e sound.
2. Students know to
double the final
consonant in the first
syllable, if the second
syllable is open ending
with the letter y.
3. open syllables can be
a vowel by itself.
Open Syllable
words:
Vowel-Consonant-e
words:
stove
grapevine
June
ape
Vowel-Consonant-e
Exceptions:
Vowel-Consonant-e
Exceptions:
give
live
Open Syllable
me
hi
y as a vowel:
cry
baby
y as a vowel:
Syllable Types
R- Controlled
Syllables
(p. 9)
Vowel Team
Syllables
(Vowel Digraph/
Dipthong
Syllables)
(p.10)
Consonant –le
syllables
Jovanni Ramos
Summer Word Study
1. the syllable
1. ar and or make
contains a single
their own special
vowel followed by sounds.
an r
2. er, ir, and ur all
2. the vowel has
make the same
neither long or
sound. Students
short sound the
should be aware of
sound is controlled the spelling
by the r
options when
writing words with
this sound.
Ex. bird, berd, or
burd
1. contains a vowel
digraph (two
vowels together
that represent one
sound) OR
2.contains a
diphthong (a sound
that begins with
one vowel sound
and glides into
another)
1. syllable only has
three letters a
consonant, and l,
and an e.
2. the e is silent.
It is the vowel of
the syllable.
3. the consonant
and the l are
sounded like a
blend.
4. This syllable
must be the last
syllable in a
multisyllabic
word.
3. In a one syllable
word ending in or,
an e needs to be
added.
Ex. Store, core
1. vowel digraph
syllables and
diphthong
syllables all
contain what
Fundations refers
to as a vowel
team.
R- Controlled
Syllables:
R- Controlled
Syllables:
car
horn
her
burn
bird
Vowel team
Syllable:
Vowel Team
Syllable:
jeep
school
trout
bait
plow
grow
2. students are not
responsible for
differentiating
between the two
Consonant –le
syllables
marble
wiggle
Consonant –le
words:
Syllable Types
Jovanni Ramos
Summer Word Study
Suffixes
Students learn these suffixes within 3 weeks in Fundations Level 2. The students are given a brief
definition of each subject. However, due to Fundations not focusing on grammar, those explanations are
difficult to understand without knowing the parts of speech. Students can read these suffixes and identify
them visually and orally. When writing, students can add these suffixes to basewords, except v-e and -le
syllables.
-s
-able
-es
-en
-ed (ed, d, t)
-ive
-y
-ing
-ful
-est
-ment
-er
-ness
-ish
-less
-ly
-ty
Multisyllabic words:
All these syllable types can be seen in one syllable words, except the –le syllable.
Students should be able to break apart a word and identify the various syllables that make
that word. All these syllables can be combined with one another to make new words.
Dissect/ Chunk these words. Mark each syllable.
Word
Fantastic
1st Syllable
2nd Syllable
3rd Syllable
4th Syllable
Possible Errors
Inflate
Mermaid
Jigsaw
Kidney
Marble
Sixteen
Kindergarten
Peacocks
Sparkle
Surprise
Thursday
Cursive
Ejecting
Curtsy
-er  murmaid
mirmaid
Syllable Types
Jovanni Ramos
Summer Word Study
Behind