Syllable Division Rules

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• Separate prefixes, suffixes, and root words
  
  
  • pre/view, work/ing, re/do, end/less, out/side
    

• Are two consonants next to each other?  Divide in between them
  
  
  • consonant = a letter that is not a vowel
  • buf/fet, des/sert, ob/ject, ber/ry, fer/ry
    

• Never split 2 consonants that (when pronounced together) make only 1 sound
  
  
  • "th", "sh", "ph", "th", "ch", and "wh"
    

• Is the consonant surrounded by vowels?
  
  
  • Does the 1st vowel have a long sound? (Like the 'i' in line)
    
    
    • Divide before the consonant.
    • ba/by, re/sult, i/vy, fro/zen, Cu/pid
      
  • Does the 1st vowel have a short sound? (Like the 'i' in mill)
    
    
    • Divide after the consonant.
    • rav/age, met/al, riv/er, mod/el, cur/tal
      

• Is there a 'ckle' in the word?  Divide right before the 'le'.
  
  
  • tack/le, freck/le, tick/le, buck/le
    

• Is there a 'le' (no 'ck' in front)?  Divide 1 letter before the 'le'.
  
  
  • ap/ple, rum/ble, fa/ble, ta/ble
    

Examples:

• little:   lit / tle
• petal:   pet / al
• turtle:   tur / tle
• ankle:   an / kle
• riddle:   rid / dle
• arrow:   ar / row
• nickle:   nick / le
• cotton:   cot / ton
• student:   stu / dent
• teacher:   teach / er
• children:   chil / dren
• pottery:   pot / ter / y
• learning:   learn / ing
• textbook:   text / book
• watching:   watch / ing
• screaming:   scream / ing
• misbehaving:   mis / be / hav / ing