Open Syllables: The Vowel at the Edge

Recognize open syllables, where a vowel at the end of a syllable says its name.

An open syllable ends with a single vowel and nothing after it. With no consonant to close the door, the vowel is free to say its name, so it is usually long. Short words like he, so, and my are open syllables. Inside longer words, open syllables are often the first piece. Look at 'robot'. Split it ro-bot. The first syllable 'ro' ends with o, so the o is long, like in 'go'.

The second syllable 'bot' is closed, so its o is short. Read it: ROH-bot. Comparing open and closed syllables side by side helps: 'hot' is closed with a short o, while 'ho' in 'hotel' is open with a long o.

• 1Open = the syllable ends with one vowel.
• 2The vowel in an open syllable usually says its name.
• 3Open syllables often begin longer words, like ro-bot and ti-ger.