Syllable Rules >> Counting Syllables Examples
5 Ways to Count Syllables
(Syllable Rules Below)
- The "Listen Method" Rules
- Say the word.
- How many times do you hear A, E, I, O, or U as a separate sound?
- This is the number of syllables.
- The "Chin Method" Rules
- Put your hand under your chin.
- Say the word.
- How many times does your chin touch your hand?
- This is the number of syllables.
- The "Clap Method" Rules
- Clapping may help you find syllables.
- Say the word.
- Clap each time you hear A, E, I, O, or U as a separate sound.
- The number of claps is the number of syllables.
- The "Robot Speak Method" Rules
- Make believe you are a robot from the year 2000.
- Say a word as this robot.
- Pay attention to the pauses you make.
- How many parts did you break your word into?
Example:- robot = "ro" *pause* "bot"... 2 syllables
- Listen:
- This is the number of syllables.
- The "Written Method" Rules
- Count the number of vowels (A, E, I, O, U) in the word.
- Add 1 every time the letter 'y' makes the sound of a vowel (A, E, I, O, U).
- Subtract 1 for each silent vowel (like the silent 'e' at the end of a word).
- Subtract 1 for each diphthong or triphthong in the word.
- Diphthong: when 2 vowels make only 1 sound (au, oy, oo)
- Triphthong: when 3 vowels make only 1 sound (iou)
- Does the word end with "le" or "les?" Add 1 only if the letter before the "le" is a consonant.
- The number you get is the number of syllables in your word.
Fun FactLOL became an official word
in the dictionary in 2011.
Syllable Rules >> Counting Syllables Examples
Examples
Take
- 1 syllable: take
- pronounced: tay-k
- Listen:
Bee
- 1 syllable: bee
- pronounced: bee
- Listen:
Taking
- 2 syllables: tak-ing
- pronounced: tay-king
- Listen:
Redo
- 2 syllables: re-do
- pronounced: ree-doo
- Listen:
Dusted
- 2 syllables: dust-ed
- pronounced: dus-ted
- Listen:
Worrying
- 3 syllables: wor-ry-ing
- pronounced: wah-ree-ing
- Listen: