English Support

Syllables
 
Syllables are chunks of sound.
All words have at least one syllable. 
Syllables can be just one letter or a group of letters: eg hol-i-day. Each syllable has to have either a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or a ‘y’ in it: eg tru-ly, help-ful-ly.
It’s the sound that matters.                     
Each syllable is a different beat. Think of the song:   
Hap-py Birth-day to you!
Try tapping out the beats on a table or hold your hand under your chin to feel the beats. 
 
How many syllables?
These words have one syllable: walk, eat, home, house.
These words have two syllables: walking, eaten, homeward, doghouse.
These words have three syllables: September, underneath, internet. 
These words have four syllables: independent, January, unemployment.
Can you think of any more examples to add to these lists?
 
Syllables in spelling
Syllables are useful in spelling because they help to break down words into shorter chunks that are easier to manage. There are also some syllables that are used in lots of words and if you learn the pattern, you can use it in many different words. 
-tion is found in station, operation, stationery, dictionary. 
-ly is found in deeply, sincerely, carefully, happily