1. G ROUNDWORK FOR C OLLEGE R EADING WITH PHONICS Fourth Edition John Langan © 2008 Townsend Press

2. Part I, Chapter Three: Phonics III: Syllables THIS CHAPTER IN A NUTSHELL This chapter reminds you what a syllable is. It then provides five rules that help you break words into syllables: 1Divide between two consonants. 2Divide before a single consonant. 3Divide before a consonant + le. 4Divide after prefixes and before suffixes. 5Divide between the words in a compound word.

3. SYLLABLES A syllable is a word or part of a word that has only one vowel sound. The word rip has just one vowel sound, so it has only one syllable. The word sunscreen is pronounced in two parts, each with its own vowel sound: sun and screen. It has two syllables.

4. A word or syllable that has a silent final e has two vowels but only one vowel sound. For example, the word tune has two vowels but only one vowel sound. It is a one-syllable word. SYLLABLES Words with More Than One Vowel in a Syllable 1 Words with a silent final e

5. SYLLABLES Words with More Than One Vowel in a Syllable 2 Words with two vowels together in which one vowel is silent Some words or syllables have two vowels together but only one vowel sound. For example, the word heat has two vowels, but only one vowel sound. It is a one-syllable word.

6. RULES FOR DIVIDING WORDS INTO SYLLABLES Dividing between Two Consonants Rule 1: When two consonants come between two vowels, divide between the consonants. This rule is also known as the VC/CV (vowel-consonant/consonant- vowel) pattern. Examples: donkey: don-keyhappen: hap-pensilver: sil-ver

7. RULES FOR DIVIDING WORDS INTO SYLLABLES Dividing between Three Consonants If a word has three consonants in a row, divide between the first consonant and the consonant blend. Examples: applaud: ap-plaudmonster: mon-stersurprise: sur-prise

8. RULES FOR DIVIDING WORDS INTO SYLLABLES Dividing before a Single Consonant Rule 2: When a single consonant comes between two vowel sounds, divide before the consonant. This rule is also known as the V/CV (vowel/consonant-vowel) pattern. Examples: even: e-venminus: mi-nuspony: po-ny

9. RULES FOR DIVIDING WORDS INTO SYLLABLES Dividing before a Consonant + le Rule 3: If a word ends in a consonant followed by le, the consonant and le form the last syllable. Examples: handle: han-dlecable: ca-blesimple: sim-ple

10. RULES FOR DIVIDING WORDS INTO SYLLABLES Dividing after Prefixes and before Suffixes Rule 4: Prefixes and suffixes are usually separate syllables. Examples: prefix: pre-fixunfair: un-fairreview: re-view Prefixes are word parts that are added at the beginnings of words. Here are some common prefixes: ad-com-con-de-dis-ex- in-non-pre-re-sub-un-

11. RULES FOR DIVIDING WORDS INTO SYLLABLES Dividing after Prefixes and before Suffixes Rule 4: Prefixes and suffixes are usually separate syllables. Examples: player: play-erstatement: state-mentneedless: need-less Suffixes are word parts that are added at the ends of words. Here are some common suffixes: -able-en-er-ful-ing-ist -less-ly-ment-ness-sion-tion

12. RULES FOR DIVIDING WORDS INTO SYLLABLES Dividing between Words in a Compound Word Rule 5: Compound words are always divided between the words they contain. Examples: railroad: rail-road bloodstream: blood-streamredhead: red-head A compound word is a combination of two words.

13. CHAPTER REVIEW In this chapter, you learned the following: A syllable is a word or part of a word that has only one vowel sound. So to figure out the number of syllables in a word, count the number of vowel sounds. Some vowels are silent, including the following: —Silent e: rose —The second letter of certain vowel pairs: pair, play, heat, breed, pie, soap, toe Five rules can help you divide words into syllables: —Rule 1 (VC/CV): When two consonants come between two vowels, divide between the consonants: sil-ver. If a word has three consonants in a row, divide between the first consonant and the consonant blend: mon-ster. —Rule 2 (V/CV): When a single consonant comes between two vowel sounds, divide before the consonant: po-ny. —Rule 3: If a word ends in a consonant followed by le, the consonant and le form the last syllable: han-dle. —Rule 4: Prefixes and suffixes are usually separate syllables: un-fair, play-er. —Rule 5: Compound words are always divided between the words they contain: gold-fish.