A syllable is a beat in a word. Every syllable has one vowel sound. Cat has one syllable; rab-bit has two; fan-tas-tic has three.
Let's learn
- Put your hand under your chin and say a word; each time your chin drops, that is a syllable.
- Clap the syllables: el-e-phant (3), hip-po-pot-a-mus (5).
- Count the vowel sounds, not the vowel letters: boat has two vowel letters but one sound.
- Break a long word into syllables before reading it.
Watch out for
- Counting vowel letters instead of vowel sounds. The e at the end of “cake” is silent.
Make it fit your reader
- Easier: Clap your family members’ names.
- Harder: Clap five words with four or more syllables.
Practice activity
- Chin drops: count the syllables in ten words using your hand under your chin.
- Syllable sort: sort words into 1, 2, 3 and 4 syllable piles.
Tip for grown-ups: Keep practice short and cheerful: 10 to 15 minutes is plenty for young readers. Praise effort, let your child point to the words, and stop while it is still fun.