SIX SYLLABLES TYPES
Closed Syllable
Preparation: Write words listed below on index cards.
1. Review the definition of a syllable: “A syllable is a word or part of a
word made with one opening of the mouth. A syllable has one
vowel sound.”
2. Display the word not and say:
“This is a closed syllable. A closed syllable ends in at least one
consonant after one vowel. The vowel in a closed syllable is short.”
3. Lay out cards. Students:
a. Describe the syllable on each card (e.g., The syllable ends in one
consonant after one vowel).
b. Name the syllable type (e.g., It is a closed syllable).
c. Identify the vowel sound (e.g., The vowel is short).
d. Read the word.
Words List A Words List B Word List C Word List D
at in and spin
top tip lit spill
lip lid ten drill
bad ten bed lost
fat mud past clap
bag hop plant hand
red dog land grand
dig hen stop clasp
cup did stand lamp
sap fan stamp glad
lap send bump blend
mud plan camp split
hot last class strand
Open Syllable
Preparation: Write words listed below on index cards.
1. Review the definition of a syllable: “A syllable is a word or part of a
word made with one opening of the mouth. A syllable has one
vowel sound.”
2. Display the word no and say:
“This is an open syllable. An open syllable ends in one vowel. The
vowel in an open syllable is long.”
3. Lay out cards. Students:
a. Describe the syllable on each card (e.g., The syllable ends in one
vowel).
b. Name the syllable type (e.g., It is an open syllable).
c. Identify the vowel sound (e.g., The vowel is long).
d. Read the word.
Word List A Word List B Word List C
so hit (closed) mud (closed)
be go (open) mess (closed)
hi glad (closed) so (open)
I hi (open) no (open)
me got (closed) band (closed)
go me (open) he (open)
he band (closed) bed (closed)
no met (closed) hen (closed)
hiss (closed) me (open)
so (open) not (closed)
beg (closed) bug (closed)
be (open) sop (closed)
Vowel-consonant-e Syllables
Preparation: Write words listed below on index cards.
1. Review the definition of a syllable: “A syllable is a word or part of a
word made with one opening of the mouth. A syllable has one
vowel sound.”
2. Display the word note and say:
“This is a vowel-consonant-e syllable. A vowel-consonant-e syllable
ends in one vowel, one consonant, and a final e. The e is silent and
the vowel is long.”
3. Lay out cards. Students:
a. Describe the syllable on each card.
b. Name the syllable type.
c. Identify the vowel sound.
d. Read the word.
Word List A: Words List B:
cute (vowel-consonant-e) late (vowel-consonant-e)
sod (closed) doll (closed)
block (closed) luck (closed)
home (vowel-consonant-e) she (open)
pit (closed) note (vowel-consonant-e)
cut (closed) so (open)
be (open) not (closed)
flake (vowel-consonant-e) gave (vowel-consonant-e)
dress (closed) theme (vowel-consonant-e)
drive (vowel-consonant-e) them (closed)
Word List C: Word List D:
file (vowel -consonant-e) tune (vowel -consonant-e)
stump (closed) truck (closed)
mill (closed) well (closed)
shake (vowel-consonant-e) smile (vowel-consonant-e)
mile (vowel-consonant-e) plate (vowel-consonant-e)
tub (closed) spoke (vowel-consonant-e)
tube (vowel-consonant-e) hi (open)
shack (closed) blast (closed)
fill (closed) plan (closed)
shape (vowel-consonant-e) trade (vowel-consonant-e)
Vowel-r Syllable (er, ir, or)
Preparation: Write words listed below on index cards.
1. Display the word her and say:
“This is a vowel-r syllable. A vowel-r syllable has an r after the
vowel. The vowel makes an unexpected sound. We expect the
vowel to be short, but it’s not. Let's look at the vowels e, i, and u
when they are followed by an r.”
er fern /er/
ir bird /er/
ur turtle /er/
2. Lay out cards. Students:
a. Describe the syllable in each card.
b. Name the syllable type.
c. Identify the vowel sound.
d. Read the word.
Word List A: Words List B:
her still (closed)
fern thump (closed)
first bend (closed)
burn grill (closed)
third term (vowel-r)
turn thirst (vowel-r)
herd turn (vowel-r)
fur bird (vowel-r)
dirt stir (vowel-r)
churn firm (vowel-r)
shirt girl (vowel-r)
hurt curl (vowel-r)
fir church (vowel-r)
squirm skirt (vowel-r)
thirst germ (vowel-r)
Vowel-r Syllable (ar, or)
Preparation: Write words listed below on index cards.
1. Display the words star and fork and say:
“Let’s look at the vowels a and o followed by an r.”
ar star /ar/
or fork /or/
2. Lay out cards. Students:
a. Describe the syllable.
b. Name the syllable type.
c. Identify the vowel sound.
d. Read the word.
Words List A: Words List B:
(All are vowel-r syllables.) sport (vowel-r)
park part (vowel-r)
art barn (vowel-r)
fort for (vowel-r)
port harm (vowel-r)
arm short (vowel-r)
farm sharp (vowel-r)
card cord (vowel-r)
born torn (vowel-r)
mark spark (vowel-r)
smart form (vowel-r)
harp star (vowel-r)
fast (closed)
Words List C: Words List D:
part (vowel-r) stand (closed)
arch (vowel-r) hunt (closed)
stern (closed) slept (closed)
tart (vowel-r) pork (vowel-r)
birch (vowel-r) squirt (vowel-r)
urn (vowel-r) start (vowel-r)
porch (vowel-r) thirst (vowel-r)
term (vowel-r) scorch (vowel-r)
torch (vowel-r) starch (vowel-r)
lark (vowel-r) firm (vowel-r)
fern (vowel-r) stork (vowel-r)
churn (vowel-r) perk (vowel-r)
Vowel Pair Syllables (digraphs)
Preparation: Write words listed below on index cards.
1. Display the words sail, each, feet, and boat and say:
“These are vowel pair syllables. A vowel pair syllable has two
adjacent vowels that make one sound. Here are some vowel pairs.”
ai sail /ā/
ea each /ē/
ee feet /ē/
oa boat /ō/
2. Lay out cards. Students:
a. Describe the syllable.
b. Name the syllable type.
c. Identify the vowel sound.
d. Read the word.
Words List A: Words List B:
feet (vowel pair) green (vowel pair)
peach (vowel pair) teach (vowel pair)
boat (vowel pair) float (vowel pair)
paint (vowel pair) tail (vowel pair)
stem (closed) nose (vowel-consonant-e)
bean (vowel pair) tune (vowel-consonant-e)
stone (vowel-consonant-e) flame (vowel-consonant-e)
rose (vowel-consonant-e) plate (vowel-consonant-e)
me (open) sheet (vowel pair)
strain (vowel pair) no (open)
roam (vowel pair) road (vowel pair)
Words List C: Words List D:
feel (vowel pair) greet (vowel pair)
eat (vowel pair) each (vowel pair)
trail (vowel pair) train (vowel pair)
third (vowel-r) burn (vowel-r)
rug (closed) grass (closed)
plane (vowel-consonant-e) teeth (vowel pair)
chase (vowel-consonant-e) stream (vowel pair)
cash (closed) shine (vowel-consonant-e)
curl (vowel-r) first (vowel-r)
chose(vowel-consonant-e) bone (vowel-consonant-e)
lamp (closed) street (vowel pair)
Vowel Pair Syllables (diphthongs)
Preparation: Write words listed below on index cards.
1. Display the words out, cow, boil, boy and say.
“Here are some vowel pairs whose sounds blend together.”
ou out /ou/
ow cow /ou/
oi boil /oi/
oy boy /oi/
2. Lay out cards. Students:
a. Describe the syllable.
b. Name the syllable type.
c. Identify the vowel sound.
d. Read the word.
Word List A: Word List B:
mouth (vowel pair) found (vowel pair)
noun (vowel pair) how (vowel pair)
cow (vowel pair) point (vowel pair)
join (vowel pair) toy (vowel pair)
boy (vowel pair) thirst (vowel-r)
he (open) town (vowel pair)
sing (closed) skate (vowel-consonant-e)
sniff (closed) smell (closed)
brake (vowel-consonant-e) brick (closed)
turn (vowel-r) term (vowel-r)
place (vowel-consonant-e) horse (vowel-r)
down (vowel pair) she (open)
Words List C: Words List D:
round (vowel pair) south (vowel pair)
now (vowel pair) plow (vowel pair)
boil (vowel pair) soil (vowel pair)
joy (vowel pair) blouse (vowel pair)
house (vowel pair) stir (vowel-r)
clown (vowel pair) race (vowel-consonant-e)
cheek (vowel pair) I (open)
firm (vowel-r) black (closed)
hi (open) staff (closed)
flake (vowel-consonant-e) spill (closed)
shirt (vowel pair) blade (vowel-consonant-e)
Final Stable Syllables
Preparation: Write words listed below on index cards.
1. Display the words noodle and noble and say:
“These words have dle and ble at the end. A syllable that is spelled
with a consonant-l-e is called a final stable syllable. I’ll write a few
more final stable syllables.”
ble bubble /bl/
cle uncle /cl/
dle candle /dl/
fle ruffle /fl/
gle angle /gl/
kle ankle /kl/
ple purple /pl/
tle bottle /tl/
zle puzzle /zl/
2. Lay out cards. Students:
a. Describe both syllables in each word.
b. Name the syllable types.
c. Identify the vowel sounds.
d. Read the word.
Word List A: Words List B:
candle (closed/final stable) able (open/final stable)
scramble (closed/ final stable) twinkle (closed/final stable)
stumble (closed/final stable) maple (open/final stable)
bumble (closed/final stable) tumble (closed/final stable)
simple (closed/final stable) table (open/final stable)
middle (closed/final stable) handle (closed/final stable)
cattle (closed/final stable) stable (open/final stable)
steeple (vowel pair/final stable) marble (vowel-r/final stable)
sparkle (vowel-r/final stable) nibble (closed/final stable)
bottle (closed/final stable) ruffle (closed/final stable)
hassle (closed/final stable) staple (open/final stable)
humble (closed/final stable) tremble (closed/final stable)
noodle (vowel pair/final stable) puzzle (closed/final stable)