Syllables, Suffix and Prefix

All English words contain at least one syllable. A syllable is made up of one vowel sound and one or more consonants. A syllable may change the sound of a consonant in the word or vice-versa that is a consonant may change the sound of a syllable.
There are two kinds of syllables:
Closed Syllables: The closed syllables end with a consonant and have a short vowel sound. They are usually found in VC(vowel-consonant) or CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words (Popularly known as the three-letter rhyming words).

1.     an

2.     at

3.     cat

4.     pet

5.     pig

6.     cob

7.     sun

8.     ha-bit

9.     pen-cil

Open Syllables: Open Syllables are syllables that end with a vowel and make the long vowel sound.

1.     go

2.     no

3.     so

4.     she

5.     we
6.   apron
7.   easy
8.   I
9.   ice
10. hi
11. uniform
12. use

Syllabication rules:

1.     In words such as VC-CV (vowel consonant-consonant vowel), where two consonants come between two vowels, a hyphen is placed between the two consonants, so as to divide the word.

                                                    i.     jus-tice (justice)

                                                  ii.     ig-nore (ignore)

2.     In words such as VC-V (vowel-consonant-vowel), where there is only a single consonant between two vowels, a hyphen is placed after the consonant, so as to divide the word

                                                    i.     mag-ic (magic)

                                                  ii.     col-or (color)

3.     In words such as v-cv (vowel-consonant-vowel), the hyphen is placed before a consonant, if the vowel is long, so as to divide the word.

                                                    i.     pa-per (paper)

                                                  ii.     do-nate (donate)

                                                iii.     ti-dy (tidy)

Root: root is the main word to which prefix and suffixes can be added.

We have included prefixes and suffixes along with the topic of syllables, because of both suffix and prefix behave as a syllable, as they contain a vowel sound.

Prefixes:

1.     Are a group of two or more letters.

2.     They are added at the beginning of the root word.

3.     Once added, they change the meaning of the root word.

4.     They always have a meaning.

5.     Can act as a syllable as they contain a vowel sound.

Types of Prefixes:

a.      The prefixes un, dis, non, ir, im, in and il usually mean “not”. They usually have a negative meaning.

                                                    i.     untie

                                                  ii.     untrue

                                                iii.     disbelief

                                                iv.     dishonor

                                                  v.     nonsense

                                                vi.     irresponsible

                                               vii.     irresistible

                                             viii.     impossible

                                                ix.     impure

                                                  x.     intolerable

                                                xi.     illegal

                                               xii.     illusion

b.     The prefix re means again.

                                                    i.     reenter

                                                  ii.     redo

                                                iii.     reexamine

c.      The prefix mis often means something bad or wrong.

                                                    i.     misfortune

                                                  ii.     misplace

d.     The prefix ex often means something out from or beyond.

                                                    i.     exterminate

                                                  ii.     extract

                                                iii.     exclude

                                                iv.     expire

e.      The prefix de often means something away from or the opposite.

                                                    i.     detour

                                                  ii.     depress

                                                iii.     deduct

                                                iv.     decode

f.      The prefixes com, col, con often mean something with.

                                                    i.     companion

                                                  ii.     collect

                                                iii.     collusion

                                                iv.     connect

g.     The prefix fore often means something before or in front.

                                                    i.     foresight

                                                  ii.     forefront

                                                iii.     forefather

h.     The prefix pre often means something ahead in time.

                                                    i.     prefix

                                                  ii.     predict

                                                iii.     prevent

i.       The prefix pro often means something for or in favor of.

                                                    i.     profane

                                                  ii.     provide

                                                iii.     profound

j.       The prefix super often means something much, above or extra.

                                                    i.     superman

                                                  ii.     supervisor

                                                iii.     superimpose

                                                iv.     superintendent

k.     The prefix over often means something much or above.

                                                    i.     overcome

                                                  ii.     overnight

                                                iii.     overdo

                                                iv.     overdose

l.       The prefix sub often means something below or not so.

                                                    i.     submarine

                                                  ii.     subdivision

                                                iii.     sublet

                                                iv.     subdue

m.   The prefix under often means something below.

                                                    i.     underestimate

                                                  ii.     underwater

                                                iii.     underground

n.     The prefix out often means something better than or away from.

                                                    i.     outcome

                                                  ii.     outside

                                                iii.     outshine

                                                iv.     outcast

o.     The prefix inter often means something between or among.

                                                    i.     international

                                                  ii.     interstate

                                                iii.     intercontinental

                                                iv.     interview

                                                  v.     internet

p.     The prefix intra often means something within or inside of.

                                                    i.     intranet

                                                  ii.     intranational

                                                iii.     intracompany

q.     The prefix bi often means something two.

                                                    i.     bimonthly

                                                  ii.     biennial

                                                iii.     bifocal

r.      The prefix semi often means something half or partly.

                                                    i.     semiskilled

                                                  ii.     semicircle

Suffixes:

1.     Are a group of two or more letters.

2.     They are added at the end of the root word.

3.     Once added, they change the meaning of the root word.

4.     They always have a meaning.

5.     Can act as a syllable as they contain a vowel sound.

Types of Suffixes:

a.      Walk is a root word.

                                                    i.     When we add the suffix -s it becomes walks.

                                                  ii.     When we add the suffix -ed it becomes walked.

                                                iii.     When we add the suffix -ing it becomes walking.

b.     Soft is a root word.

                                                    i.     When we add the suffix -er it becomes softer.

                                                  ii.     When we add the suffix -est it becomes softest.

                                                iii.     When we add the suffix -ly  it becomes softly.

Phonics rule:

·       When -ed is added to root words ending in d or t, it makes the /ed/ sound. Example squirted, cheated, raided.

·       In all the other words -ed makes the /d/ (as in fed) or the /t/ (as in helped) sound.

c.      Rules:

                                                    i.     When a root word end with a silent e, always delete the e before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel.

·       pave-paves

·       pave-paved

·       pave-paving

·       cute-cuter

·       cute-cutest

                                                  ii.     In CVC words, where the root word ends with a consonant and is preceded by a vowel, often the consonant is doubled before adding the suffix beginning with a vowel.

·       fit-fitted

·       cut-cutting

                                                iii.     When a root word ends with the consonant l, double the consonant, before adding the suffix y.

·       joyful-joyfully

·       careful-carefully

                                                iv.     When a root word contains a consonant ending with y, the y changes to I, before adding the suffix. Exceptions -ing.

·       try-tries

·       cry-cried

·       easy-easily

                                                  v.     When in a root word the vowel is followed by y, simply add the suffix

·       joy-joyful

·       play-played

                                                vi.     When a root word ends with e and suffix -ly is to be added, the letter e is dropped.

·       terrible-terribly

·       possible-possibly