Syllable division rules for simple words and parts of compound words
vowel |
intersyllabic sounds |
boundary |
examples |
notes |
I. Short stressed |
a) single consonant |
within the consonant |
rı
|
|
b) consonant cluster |
between the consonants |
ek1|s2|t3|rə wın|dəυ rıŋ|kl |
In case of intervocalic clusters we use the distributional criterion: the combination of consonants belongs to the following syllable, if such combinations are typical of English.
|
|
II. Short unstressed, long, diphthong |
a) single consonant |
before the consonant |
melə|dı
k leı|bl
|
|
b) consonant cluster |
maximally close to the vowel |
ə| dres ık| spektıd fα:|stə peı|trən
|
|
le
ən
m
:|nə
! The so-called thriphthongs in English are disyllabic combinations, because they contain two vowel phonemes: faı|ə.
Ex. 1 (from Test your pronunciation Unit 7, disc)
How many syllables?
One word in each set has a different number of syllables from the others. Decide which it is, then check with the recording.
-
Example:
lengths
if
table
on
1
destiny
chocolate
computer
afterwards
2
stopped
smashed
wanted
tried
3
Leicester
Lester
Stratford
Manchester
4
altogether
avocado
banana
Argentina
5
rhythm
chasm
through
Ex.2 (from Test your pronunciation Unit 7, disc)
What stress pattern?
One word in each set has a different stress pattern from the others. Which is it? Check with the recording.
Example: |
picture ○ |
Nature ○ |
Capture ○ |
Mature ○ |
1 |
politics |
dynamic |
musician |
historic |
2 |
create |
supply |
prostate |
dictate |
3 |
teacher |
refer |
eager |
offer |
4 |
edit |
debit |
submit |
credit |
5 |
Angela |
Therese |
Spaghetti |
banana |
Ex.3 Divide into syllables and determine where the syllable boundary lies.
1. |
goodness |
5. |
about |
9. |
Saturday |
2. |
hotter |
6. |
lazy |
10. |
export |
3. |
village |
7. |
family |
11. |
hourly |
4. |
cotton |
8. |
admission |
12. |
mathematics |
Ex.4 Transcribe the following words, divide them into syllables and explain the rule.
1. |
ninety |
6. |
sentence |
2. |
middle |
7. |
vowel |
3. |
imitate |
8. |
cinema |
4. |
teacher |
9. |
expensive |
5. |
advertise |
10. |
commission |