A syllable is a unit of pronunciation that consists of one or more sounds, typically built around a vowel. It is the basic building block of spoken language.

1. 1
2
3
4

2. ________ deals with how speech sounds are produced,
transmitted, and perceived.
A. Phonetics B. Phonology

3. The term ______ is applied for the study of the more
abstract, the more functional, or the more psychological
aspects of speech.
A. Phonetics B. Phonology

4. _________ identifies where a sound is formed.
Place of articulation

5. _________ explains how the airflow is manipulated to
produce the sound.
Manner of articulation

6. Short vowels are held for a ______ period of time, and the
mouth and tongue are in a more ______ position
A. shorter, tense B. shorter, relaxed
C. longer, relaxed D. longer, tense

7. What is the difference between a monophthong and a diphthong?
A. Monophthongs involve a gradual change in tongue position, while
diphthongs involve a more abrupt change in tongue position.
B. Monophthongs involve a single vowel sound, while diphthongs involve two
vowel sounds.
C. Monophthongs are always at the beginning of words, while diphthongs are
always at the end of words.

8. • A word will be shown on the screen.
• Count how many syllables the word has.
• Clap once for each syllable.
Example beach summer holiday

9. RUN
1

10. CHALLENGE
2

11. OPPORTUNITY
5

12. HATRED
2

13. INCOMPREHENSIBLE
6

14. TREE
1

15. Phonetically, syllables consist of a centre which
has little or no obstruction to airflow; and before
and after this centre, there will be greater
obstruction to airflow.

16. Structures of English syllables
Syllable division
Strong and weak syllables

17. • Understand the structure of English syllables.
• Apply rules to divide words into syllables accurately.
• Identify and distinguish between strong and weak syllables.
• Engage in interactive activities to reinforce learning.

18. cat
k æ t
eye
at sky
aɪ
æ t s k aɪ
C V C V C C C V V
A syllable must have one vowel.
A single vowel in isolation is called a minimum syllable.

19. cat
k æ t
eye
at sky
aɪ
æ t s k aɪ
C V C V C C C V V
onset
O N C N C O N N
coda
nucleus
+ +

20. The maximum number of onset consonants is 3.
One onset consonant any consonant phoneme
= initial consonant

21. Two-consonant
cluster
/s/ + a small set of consonants
a small set of consonants + /l/, /r/, /w/, and /j/
• /s/: pre-initial consonant
• others: initial consonants
• others: initial consonants
• /l/, /r/, /w/ and /j/: post-initial consonants
Consonant cluster: a group of 2 or more consonants

22. Initial C
Pre-
initial C
p t k f m n l w j
s spɪn stɪk skɪn sfɪə smɔːl sneɪk sleɪ sweɪ sjuːt
/s/ + a small set of consonants • /s/: pre-initial consonant
• others: initial consonants

23. a small set of consonants +
/l/, /r/, /w/, and /j/
• 15 other consonants: initial
consonants
• /l/, /r/, /w/ and /j/: post-initial
consonants

24. Three-consonant
cluster
Pre-initial consonant
Initial consonant
• /s/
• /p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, /m/, /n/, /l/
Post-initial consonant
• /l/, /r/, /w/ and /j/

25. Pre-initial
consonant
Initial
consonant
Post-initial
consonant
Vowel
Onset Nucleus
/s/ /l/, /r/, /w/, /j/

26. Example
• Stand up and make a circle around the middle seating row.
• Walk around the classroom when a song is being played.
• When the song stops, capture the flag to give the answer.
Label the onset consonants
biːtʃ /b/: initial consonant

27. Label the onset consonants
stænd blæk
pen
sprɪŋ pleɪ mjuːz
neɪl
flæɡ

28. The maximum number of coda consonants is 4.
One coda consonant any consonant phoneme
= final consonant

29. Two-consonant
cluster
/m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/ and /s/ + other consonants
other consonants + /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/ and /θ/
• /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/ and /s/: pre-final
consonant
• others: final consonants
• others: final consonants
• /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/ and /θ/: post-final
consonants

30. Three-consonant
cluster
pre-final + final + post-final
• Example: he - l - p - t
• Example: ne - k - s - t
final + post-final 1 + post-final 2
Four-consonant
cluster
pre-final + final + post-final 1 + post-final 2
• Example: prɒ - m - p - t - s
• Example: te - k - s - t - s
final + post-final 1 + post-final 2 + post-final 3

31. Pre-final
consonant
Final
consonant
Post-final
consonant 3
Vowel
Coda
Nucleus
Post-final
consonant 2
Post-final
consonant 1
/m/, /n/, /ŋ/,
/l/ and /s/
/s/, /z/, /t/, /d/ and /θ/

32. • Each team sends 1 player to look at the syllable.
• 5 seconds to memorise the syllable.
• Run back to the team and report the syllable to the teammates.
• Label the coda consonants.
• Shout “STOP THE BUS” when you finish.
Example biːtʃ /tʃ/: final consonant

33. onset coda
nucleus
+ +
• Work individually.
• Create the maximum phonological structure.
• The first 7 students to submit the structure correctly earn a bonus.

34. onset coda
nucleus
+ +

35. • Work in groups.
• Choose 3 words with 1 syllable (ex: beach, hot, shrimp).
• Analyse the onset, nucleus and coda of each syllable.
• Create a poster on Canva.
• Send your poster to Zalo group.
• You have 15 minutes.

36. Rule 1:
Rule 2:
Rule 3:
Attach as many consonants as possible to the right-hand syllable.
Follow the rules for possible onsets and codas.
Allow 1 consonant to be in the left syllable to prevent the
vowels /ɪ/, /e/, /ʌ/, /ʊ/, /æ/, /ɒ/ from being at the end of a
syllable.

37. • A word is shown on the screen.
• Work in group, transcribe the word phonemically and analyse the
syllables.
• You cannot use a dictionary.
• The fastest group with a correct analysis earns a point.
• There are 6 rounds.
Example texture teks.tʃə

38. Water Winter Triumph
Butterfly Sentence Sixteen
bʌt.ə.flaɪ
wɔː.tə traɪ.əmf
wɪn.tə
sɪk.stiːn
sen.təns

39. • In weak syllables (or unstressed syllables), the vowels are closer to the
central position.
1. The vowel /ə/ (schwa): a mid-central vowel.
2. The vowel /i/: a weak version of /ɪ/.
3. The vowel /u/: a weak version of /ʊ/.
• Syllabic consonants: a consonant (l, r, or a nasal) that serves as the
nucleus (vowel) of a syllable. They often occur in unstressed syllables.
They can form a syllable themselves without a supporting vowel.
Example: camel, paper, rhythm, kitten, singing.

40. _______ is a part of a syllable and is made up of one or
more consonants preceding the nucleus.
An onset

41. _______ is a part of a syllable and is made up of one or
more consonants following the nucleus.
A coda

42. A single vowel in isolation is called a/an _____.
A. minimum syllable B. consonant cluster
C. onset D. coda

43. An impossible syllable structure in English is _______.
A. onset, nucleus, coda B. onset, coda
C. onset, nucleus D. nucleus, coda

44. What is a schwa sound?
A. A type of vowel sound that is pronounced with the tongue
positioned high and forward in the mouth.
B. A type of vowel sound that is pronounced with the tongue
positioned low and back in the mouth.
C. A type of vowel sound that is pronounced with the tongue in a
neutral position.

45. Pre-initial consonant can only be ___.
A. /s/, /p/, /t/, and /k/ B. /l/, /r/, /w/, and /j/
C. /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/, and /s/ D. /s/

46. Post-initial consonant can only be ___.
A. /s/, /p/, /t/, and /k/ B. /l/, /r/, /w/, and /j/
C. /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/, and /s/ D. /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/ and /θ/

47. Pre-final consonant can only be ___.
A. /s/, /p/, /t/, and /k/ B. /l/, /r/, /w/, and /j/
C. /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/, and /s/ D. /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/ and /θ/

48. Post-final consonant can only be ___.
A. /s/, /p/, /t/, and /k/ B. /l/, /r/, /w/, and /j/
C. /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/, and /s/ D. /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/ and /θ/

49. The two syllables of “finger” are ___.
A. fɪŋ.ɡə B. fɪŋɡ.ə C. fɪ.ŋɡə

50. The two syllables of “extra” are ___.
A. e.kstrə B. ek.strə C. eks.trə

51. REFLECTION
PRE-LESSON
PREPARATION
write a summary of what you learnt in this
lesson
answer questions below:
1. How many levels of stress are there?
2. In simple words like "banana" or "computer",
how do we know which syllable to stress?
What pattern do you notice?
3. When we say compound words like
"toothbrush" or "blackboard", where does
the stress usually fall? Why?