Syllable Rules   >>   Definition    Examples

What is a syllable?

• A syllable is the sound of a vowel (A, E, I, O, U) that is created when pronouncing the letters A, E, I, O, U, or Y.
• The letter "Y" is a vowel only if it creates an A, E, I, O, or U sound.
• examples:  fry, try, cry, & dry
• The number of times that you hear the sound of a vowel is the number of syllables in a word.

• When two (or more) vowels are next to each other, the number of syllables depends on the number of vowel sounds.
• examples:  free (1 syllable), eat (1 syllable), & bio (2 syllables)
• If a vowel is silent, it is not counted as a syllable.
• example:  fire (1 syllable)
• Does the word end with "le" or "les?" This is a syllable if the letter before the "le" is a consonant.