Syllable Types are easier than you know and more important than you realize. As we guide our young learners through the wonderful world of reading, it’s essential to understand the foundational skills that support their literacy journey.
One of the key components of this foundation is the knowledge of syllable types.
Understanding the six syllable types helps children with both encoding (spelling) and decoding (reading) words, setting them up for success as they become confident readers and writers.
Segmenting and blending syllables, first using compound words then using multi-syllabic words is an early phonological awareness skill.
As the reader develops, recognizing syllable types will help them read more fluently, as they will be able to decode automatically based on syllables.
Let’s explore these syllable types and how they can be used in your classroom to strengthen students’ literacy skills.
Closed syllables
A closed syllable ends with a consonant, which makes the vowel sound short, like in the words “cat” or “sun.”
This is the most common syllable type and is often the first one taught. Teaching children to recognize closed syllables helps them decode many words quickly, as they learn to identify the short vowel sound when a word ends in a consonant.
Students also need to know the vowel can be closed by more than one consonant.
Words like “scratch” and “truck” are also closed syllables, because the consonant blends and digraphs are closing it.
EXAMPLE WORDS: dig, hat, got, shop, thump, dodge
TEACHING TIP: Use simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words to introduce this concept. Have students practice tapping out the sounds and identifying the short vowel.
OPEN SYLLABLE TYPES
An open syllable is one that ends in a vowel, and in this type of syllable, the vowel typically has a long sound, meaning it “says its name.”
For example, in the word “go,” the syllable ends with the vowel ‘o,’ which is pronounced as a long ‘o’ sound.
Similarly, in the word “me,” the syllable ends with the vowel ‘e,’ which is pronounced as a long ‘e’ sound.
Open syllables are straightforward for young learners to identify because the vowel is left “open” or unclosed by a consonant at the end of the syllable.
This open position allows the vowel to maintain its long sound. Teaching students to recognize open syllables helps them with both decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) because it gives them a reliable pattern for predicting the vowel sound in a word.
Students also need to know the “y” in “shy” is the vowel, and is considered an open syllable.
EXAMPLE WORDS: hi, she, no, why
TEACHING TIP: Encourage students to look for open syllables by having them spot vowels at the end of syllables and listen for the long vowel sound. When using multi-syllabic words, first ask the students to divide the words orally and determine the vowel at the end of the first vowel. It will be long.
Using the word “title,” students divide the word ti*tle. At the end of the first syllable, students hear the long i. Secondly, show students the word “title” and ask them to divide the syllable after the vowel sound.
Using both open and closed syllables together helps students visually see how the open vowel is closed by a consonant. Using words like hi and him, me and men, and be and beg, on an opened and closed door like my friend Kaley did at Leaping Into Learning, makes the changes tangible. There is also a great YouTube video by Mrs. Siravo that parodies Harry Styles and his song, As it Was.
VCE SYLLABLE TYPES
In a silent ‘e’ syllable, a vowel is followed by a consonant and a silent ‘e,’ which makes the vowel long, like in “cake” or “time.”
This syllable type can be a bit tricky, but once students grasp it, they can apply it to many words they encounter.
Unfortunately, silent e isn’t always easy, and silent e doesn’t always make the vowel long, BUT making the vowel long is a good place to start.
EXAMPLE WORDS: bake, ride, hope
TEACHING TIP: Show students a short vowel word that can be made into a long vowel word with the addition of the silent e. Show them the word “cub” and ask them to add an “e” at the end and change the word to cube.
Isolating the short and long vowel sounds, students hear the change. Repeat with words slid and slide, kit and kite, pan and pane, and rob and robe. For more activities with Flipping the Vowel, check out my set.
VOWEL TEAM SYLLABLE TYPES
Vowel teams are when two vowels work together to make one sound, like in the words “boat” or “rain.”
There are various vowel teams, and some can be tricky, but recognizing them as a unit helps students decode words more effectively. Students also need to know the consonants w and y are used in vowel teams.
Words cow, blow, day, and they have vowel teams with w and y.
EXAMPLE WORDS: team, float, pail, boy, chow
TEACHING TIP: Use visual aids like vowel team chart, practice with word sorts to help students see and hear the vowel combinations in action.
Students can be provided with words and they highlight to identify the vowel teams.
Varied practice with reading, discovering, and sorting is necessary.
Finding vowel teams in controlled texts is a great way to show a varied example of vowel teams. Check out My Snowman Dream post with vowel teams. It’s a fun way to practice finding and sorting vowel teams.
R-Controlled Syllable Types
An r-controlled syllable is one in which a vowel is followed by the letter ‘r,’ altering the typical sound of the vowel.
Instead of producing its usual short or long sound, the vowel is “controlled” by the ‘r,’ creating a unique sound that is neither long nor short.
For example, in the word “car,” the ‘a’ does not sound like the short ‘a’ in “cat” or the long ‘a’ in “cake.” Instead, it takes on a distinct sound influenced by the ‘r.’
R-controlled syllables are sometimes referred to as “bossy R” because the ‘r’ essentially takes over and changes the way the vowel is pronounced.
This syllable type can be tricky for young learners because the vowel doesn’t behave in the predictable way they may be used to. Teaching students to recognize these r-controlled patterns is essential for decoding words like “star,” “bird,” and “corn,” where the vowel sound is dictated by the ‘r.’
To help students master r-controlled syllables, it’s helpful to provide them with plenty of practice and repetition.
Sorting activities where students categorize words based on different r-controlled vowel sounds (like “ar,” “er,” “ir,” “or,” “ur”) can reinforce their understanding. Additionally, highlighting and practicing these words in context, through reading and writing exercises, will help students become more comfortable with this syllable type.
EXAMPLES WORDS: star, corn, fern
TEACHING TIP: Introduce r-controlled vowels with specific practice activities, emphasizing the new sound the vowel makes when followed by ‘r.’ Again, using controlled text is a great way to practice this skill. Check out Is a Turkey a Bird?
CONSONANT + LE SYLLABLE TYPES
This syllable type appears at the end of a word and consists of a consonant followed by ‘le,’ as in “table” or “little.”
It’s less common in early reading but important for recognizing syllable patterns in multisyllabic words.
EXAMPLE WORDS: apple, bubble, giggle, table
TEACHING TIP: When teaching multisyllabic words, point out the consonant-le syllable and have students clap out each syllable to better understand the word’s structure.
If the word is printed, ask students to “start with e and count back 3” to show the syllable division.
Using my new set, Consonant + le Activities, students are led through 5 activities with sorting, writing, dividing, and playing games.
One activity involved dividing consonant + le words. Students are given a word orally, listen for the ending sound in the first syllable. Next students using the rhyme “start with the e and count back three” to show where the word should be divided. Students can then double-check with the previous activity what they heard at the end of the first syllable. Check out a quick sample of each Consonant +le Activity.
How Syllable Types Support Encoding and Decoding
By teaching these syllable types, we empower students to decode words by breaking them down into manageable parts.
This understanding also helps them with encoding, as they learn to apply these patterns when spelling new words.
Incorporating syllable types into your lessons can be fun and engaging! Use games, songs, and interactive activities to reinforce these concepts. Remember, consistency is key—regular practice with syllable types will give your students the tools they need to become confident readers and writers.
