syllable
part of speech
noun (a syllable, syllables)
meaning for a pupil
1) A syllable is a part of a word that has one vowel sound; you can count syllables by clapping a word: «di-no-saur» has three syllables. tree →
2) A word with one syllable, like «cat», is called a one-syllable word or monosyllable. tree →
3) Not a syllable means not a single word at all. tree →
sense in the lessons
In English and phonics lessons pupils clap and count syllables to help with reading and spelling long words. In poetry lessons syllables matter for rhythm: a haiku has three lines of five, seven and five syllables. Phrases: «stressed syllable» (the one said strongest: «TA-ble»), «not one syllable» (not a single word: «he didn't say a syllable»).
examples
- «Elephant» has three syllables: el-e-phant. tree →
- Clap the syllables in your name. tree →
- «Dog» has one syllable. tree →
- A haiku has five syllables in the first line. tree →
- In «banana», the middle syllable is stressed. tree →
- Break long words into syllables to spell them. tree →
- «Hippopotamus» has five syllables. tree →
- He did not answer a syllable, but went on eating, and afterwards returned to his work. tree →
note
Plural «syllables». Spelling: double «l», ending «-able». Count vowel sounds, not vowel letters: «cake» has one syllable even with two vowel letters. Do not confuse with «syllabus» (a list of topics for a course).
In the corpora
- A syllable is a beat in a word with one vowel sound; long words are read chunk by chunk, sand-wich.
- In longer words, double only if the stress falls on the last syllable: begin, beginning; but garden, gardening.
- Rhythm is the pattern of beats in a line, made by strong and weak syllables; clapping helps you feel it.
- In English schools a haiku is usually three lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables; the form comes from Japan.
- DYAkuyu means thank you; the stress falls on the first syllable, DYA-kuyu.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «syllable» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.