syllable
British /ˈsɪləbl/
U.S. /ˈsɪləb(ə)l/
A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds and is typically made up of a vowel sound or a vowel-consonant combination. Syllables form the building blocks of words, each representing a single, uninterrupted sound. For example, the word “banana” consists of three syllables: ba-na-na. Syllables are essential for phonetic analysis and are fundamental in teaching reading and pronunciation. They can be categorized as open (ending in a vowel) or closed (ending in a consonant). Understanding syllables helps in breaking down words into manageable parts, improving language learning and comprehension.
