The document explains the concept of syllables, detailing their structure, types, and components such as onset, nucleus, and coda. It provides examples of monosyllabic and polysyllabic words, as well as guidance on identifying syllable elements and structures. Additionally, the text covers syllabic consonants and consonant clusters, illustrating the complexity of syllable formation.

1. Syllable
syl-la-ble
/si-lə-bl/

2. Syllable
Syllable is the next
higher unit than the
phoneme. MAN-/mæn/
Phoneme is a minimal
contrastive unit of
sound. /m/,/æ /,/n/

3. Count the syllables in a word
A word consists of ONE
(Monosyllable) or MORE than ONE
syllable (Polysyllable)
E.g. RAT- /ræt/ one syllable
(Monosyllable)
REDEEM- / rɪ-di:m /-two syllables
(Disyllable)
HUMANIST- /hju-mə-nist / three
syllables (Trisyllable)

4. Are they Monosyllabic or
Polysyllabic?
Cat catch car
categorical casting
Boar beard beginning
bargain batch

5. Components of a syllable
Syllable
ONSET
RIME
(Releasing Consonant)
CONSONANT
NUCLEUS
CODA
(Arresting Consonant)

6. Components of a syllable with
EXAMPLE
Syllable
BAT /bæt/
ONSET
RIME
/æt/
(Releasing Consonant)
/b/
CONSONANT
/b/
NUCLEUS
/æ/
CODA
(Arresting Consonant)
/t/

7. Identify the onset in the
following syllables
/si:t/ - seat
/def/ - deaf
/ti:/ - tea
/spi:k/ - speak
/lɔs/ - loss
Hint– Consonant(s) that begins the
syllable is ONSET.
Consonants in a syllable are OPTIONAL.

8. Identify the NUCLEUS
/sti:l/ - steal
/pet/ - pet
/kɔf/ - cough
/slæk/- slack
Hint– Nucleus is the VOWEL.
Nucleus is MANDATORY.

9. Find the coda.
Note: Some syllables don’t have
coda
/ri:d/ -read
/ski:/- ski
/θred/ - thread
/θri:/ - three
/spred/ - spread
/ki:/ -key

10. Syllabic Consonants
/n/ /l/ /m/
Nucleus of some syllables are
occupied by certain
consonants which function like
vowels.
button /bʌtn/ /bʌ-tn/
bottle /bɔtl/ /bɔ-tl/
rhythm /riðm/ /ri-ðm/

11. Syllabic Structure
CCC V CCCC or C 0-3 V C 0-4
No. of Consonants
Beginning of a syllable (ONSET)
Middle of a syllable
(NUCLEUS- only one vowel)
End of a syllable (CODA)
0–3
0
0-4

12. Types of Syllables
Structure
V
VC
CVC
CCCV
CCCVCC
CVCCCC
E.g.
I
all
girl
straw
sprained
tempts
/ai/
/ɔ:l/
/gɜ:l/
/strɔ:/
/spreind/
/tempts/

13. Identify the structure of the
following syllables
/a:sk/ -ask
/reinz/ -rains
/stʌnts/ -stunts
/twelfθs/ -twelfths
/snæks/ -snacks

14. Consonant Clusters
CCC in the beginning or
CCCC in the end of a
syllable occurring together.
/trʌnks/ -/tr/,/nks/

15. Abutting Consonants
Send-/send/ number -/nʌm-bə/
/nd/ in send and /mb/ in number
Consonants which occur together in a
word but form part of two different
syllables.

16. θænk jʊ