Sorting the Six Syllable Types

Tell the six syllable types apart so you can read any syllable you meet.

You now know all six syllable types: closed (cat), open (go), vowel-consonant-e (cake), vowel team (rain), r-controlled (car), and consonant-le (ble in table). Each type tells you how to say its vowel. Closed means short, open means long, VCe means long with a silent e, a vowel team means read the team together, r-controlled means the r changes the sound, and consonant-le means a quick 'ul'.

Let's sort the syllables in 'sunflower seeds'. 'Sun' is closed. 'Flow' is a vowel team. 'Er' is r-controlled. 'Seeds' is a vowel team. When a long word stops you, label each piece by type, say each piece, and then blend them smoothly.

• 1Six types: closed, open, VCe, vowel team, r-controlled, consonant-le.
• 2Each type tells you how the vowel sounds.
• 3Label each piece, say it, then blend.