Syllable breaking rules
Syllable breaking rules
Teaching suggestions
• To identify syllables, a simple rule is to tick each
vowel sound in the word. This tells the number
of syllables.
• Then draw a line between each syllable. A useful
rule is that if two consonants come after the
vowel, draw a line between the consonants.
• Then decode the word syllable by syllable.
• HINT: Allow pupils to do the break up for
themselves. They can check the vowels and split
between each syllable.
Syllable rules 1-2
Rule: 1. Closed syllable – divide between the consonants
Rule 2: Open syllable – divide after the first vowel – if that does not work,
divide after the consonant that follows the vowel
Closed syllable
VC/CV – e.g.,
Open syllable
V/CV – e.g.,
rabbit
cactus
magnet
cotton
sudden
tennis
mussel
insect
rubbish
cactus
attic
combat
velvet
happen
kitchen
control
collect
robot
open
basic
hotel
pilot
tulip
begin
bacon
taken
human
broken
potato
ipod
protect
But
camel
cabin
Syllable rules 3-4
Rule 3 – silent e vowel pattern– do not count the e as a vowel sound
- count only the other vowel sounds
Rule 4 – r-affected vowel – always keep the vowel and r together – divide
after the ar, er, ur, ir, or
Silent e pattern
e.g.,
awake
escape
became
arrive
Chinese
extreme
compute
dictate
decorate
compete
upside
invite
decrease
marinate
contaminate
telephone
dynamite
practice
police
r-affected vowel
pattern
e.g.,
surfer
carpet
corner
turnip
artist
farmer
corner
carton
orbit
interesting
Saturday
hamburger
decorate
cartridge
orthodontist
Syllable rules 5-6
Rule 1 – vowel teams – keep the teams together – count the vowel team
as one sound
Rule 2 – LE pattern – keep the LE together – count as one vowel sound
Vowel teams pattern
e.g.,
-LE pattern
e.g.,
weekend
ointment
cleaner
painting
voucher
mountain
cheaper
groaning
thousand
scooter
curly
trailer
toothpick
trousers
mouthful
wooden
bubble
uncle
cattle
ripple
paddle
little
apple
rattle
bottle
horrible
cable
sparkle
cattle
table
gobble
jingle-jangle