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Lecture 3 - Syllable

The document defines a syllable and its structure in English. It states that a syllable must have a nucleus (vowel) and may have an onset (initial consonants) and a coda (final consonants). It classifies syllables as open or closed depending on whether they end in a vowel or consonant. It discusses syllabic consonants and provides examples of syllable structures and types found in English words. It includes practice questions to test understanding of syllable concepts.

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103 views27 pages

Lecture 3 - Syllable

The document defines a syllable and its structure in English. It states that a syllable must have a nucleus (vowel) and may have an onset (initial consonants) and a coda (final consonants). It classifies syllables as open or closed depending on whether they end in a vowel or consonant. It discusses syllabic consonants and provides examples of syllable structures and types found in English words. It includes practice questions to test understanding of syllable concepts.

Uploaded by

ScarletRose
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ENGLISH SYLLABLE

DEFINITION OF SYLLABLE
Syllable is a unit of pronunciation
typically larger than a single sound
and smaller than a word.
THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE
Technically, a syllable:
must have a centre (called peak or nucleus) which
is a vowel
 could have an onset (which is the initial part of
the syllable) that consists of either one or more
consonants.
 could have a coda (which is the final part of the
syllable) that consists of either one or more
consonants.
Other important terms:
1. Zero onset: If the syllable begins with a
vowel, it has a zero onset as in ‘ease’ /i:z/.
2. Initial Consonant cluster: If a syllable
begins with two or three consonants, such a
sequence of consonants is called a
consonant cluster. Examples: ‘play, stay,
street, split, etc’.
3. Final consonant clusters: When a syllable
have two or more consonants together at the
final position of the syllable such as ‘belt’ ,
‘bump’ and ‘bank’.

4. Zero Coda: When there is no final


consonant in a syllable as in ‘bee’
CLASSIFICATION
Closed and open syllables
• Open syllable: A syllable which ends in a vowel
is called an open syllable, e.g. he, writer.
• Closed syllable: A syllable which ends in a
consonant is called a closed syllable, e.g. it, man.
CLASSIFICATION
Weak and Strong syllables
The vowel in a weak syllable tends to be shorter, of
lower intensity and different in quality in comparison
with the vowel in strong syllables.
• the vowel /ə / (schwa)
• a syllabic consonant
SYLLABIC CONSONANTS
- syllables in which no vowel is found
Bottle, student, garden
/l, m, n, r, ŋ/
THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE

ENGLISH SYLLABLE STRUCTURE


THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE

ENGLISH SYLLABLE STRUCTURE


DRAW THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE

Skin screen apple

Snow smell eat

Little run repeat


Choose the best answer.
Which syllable is formed by a vowel only?
a. sky
b. seem
c. or
d. hit
Which syllable is formed by a vowel + a
consonant?
a. she
b. eat
c. sit
d. or
Which syllable is formed by a consonant +
a vowel?
a. she
b. eat
c. it
d. eye
Which syllable is formed by a consonant + a
vowel + a consonant
a. he
b. sit
c. eat
d. eye
Which word contains a syllabic consonant?
a. neat
b. seat
c. run
d. little
In English, a syllable is generally not formed by
______.
a. a vowel
b. one consonant + one vowel
c. one vowel + one consonant
d. two stops
How many syllables are
there in the word garden?
a.1 b.2
c.3
d.4
Which of the following syllable division is
correct?
a. Ger-ma-ny
b. germ-any
c. German-y
d. Ger-many
Which of the following syllables is an open
syllable?
a. she
b. it
c. at
d. eat
Which of the following syllable has the
structure of V?
a. talk
b. learn
c. or
d. at
Which of the following syllables has the
full structure of onset-nucleus-code?
a. sit
b. are
c. or
d. I
Which consonant cluster is the onset in the
word street?
a./sr/
b. /tr/
c. /str/
d. /ts/
How many syllables are there in the word
ordinarily?
a.1
b.2
c.3.
d.4
Which of the following words contains a
syllable of the type C + syllabic C?
a. little
b. read
c. can
d. eye
Which of the following syllables is an open
syllable?
a. meet
b. reach
c. do
d. sit

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