Syllables
English words are made up of syllables. Syllables are distinct sounds within a word. All syllables have a vowel sound in them, and usually have a consonant between it and the next syllable. A word may have one, two, three, four, or more syllables.
Syllable Stress
In a word with two or more syllables, one syllable is stressed (meaning they have a stronger and longer sound) and the other syllables are unstressed or weak (meaning they are not said or pronounced as strong or as long as stressed syllables). Listen to the below and note the stressed syllables. The stressed syllable is in bold.
Recognizing Stress
Sometimes it is difficult to determine or hear where the stress is on some words. There are three things to keep in mind that may help you recognize which syllable is stressed.
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1. the pitch (see below) of the syllable is
higher than in other syllables in the word.
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ca ban na
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2. the vowel sound in the syllable is said or
pronounced longer than other syllables in
the word.
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ca ban na |
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3. the syllable is pronounced as a full vowel
(not reduced as in the Schwa sound- see
section on vowels)
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ca ban na |
http://www.howmanysyllables.com/
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