Types of syllables in English. Proclitic - an unstressed syllable before a stressed one, for example, I thought

IN open syllable The vowel letter A is pronounced like . Here are examples of words with A in an open syllable: snake - snake (Fig. 2.), lake - lake, plane - plane, plate - plate, name - name.

If the vowel letter A comes before the vowels Y and I, then such combinations AY, AI will be read as. Here are examples of words with such combinations: rain - rain, train - train, tail - tail, wait - wait, sail - sail, May - May, play - play, day - day, way - way. If the vowel letter A is combined with the letters W and L, then the pairs AW and AL are pronounced [ɔː]. Here are examples of such words: ball - ball (Fig. 3.), tall - high, all [ɔːl] - everything, small - small, wall - wall, paw - paw, draw - draw, straw - straw, law - law, flaw - crack.

In a closed syllable, the vowel letter E is read as a short sound [e]. Here are examples of words with E in a closed syllable: pen - pen, red - red, bed - bed, egg - egg, hen - chicken. In an open syllable, the vowel E is pronounced as a long sound. Here are examples of words with E in an open syllable: she [ʃiː] - she, he - he, be - to be, Pete - Pete, we - we.

If there are two vowel letters E next to each other in a word, then this combination EE will be read as a long sound. Here are examples of words with this combination: tree - tree, sweet - candy (Fig. 4.), green - green, meet - to meet, bee - bee.

If the vowel letter E is combined with the letter A, then the pair EA is also pronounced as a long sound. Here are examples of such words: read - to read, please - please, mean - to keep in mind, tea - tea, sea - sea.

So, we got acquainted with the rules for reading the vowels A and E in open and closed syllables, as well as in their combinations.

The vowel letter A is read in two ways. In an open syllable it is read as a sound, for example plane - airplane. In a closed syllable, the vowel letter A is read as the sound [æ], for example flat - apartment.

The vowel letter E in a closed syllable is read as the sound [e], for example red - red, and in an open syllable - as a long sound, for example we - we.

Bibliography

Afanasyeva O.V., Mikheeva I.V. English language. 2nd grade - M: Bustard, 2014.
Biboletova M.Z., Denisenko O.A., Trubaneva N.N. English language. 2nd grade - Title, 2008.
Bykova N.I., Dooley D., Pospelova M.D. and others. English language. 2nd grade - Education, 2013.

Alleng.ru ().
Alleng.ru ().
learnathome.ru ().

Homework

Learn to correctly read all the words from the video lesson.
For each learned rule for reading the vowels A and E, find two English example words.
Learn words from the video lesson and new words that you find.

In this lesson:
Alphabet for letter A
Open and closed syllable

Reading rules in English language quite a few, but the most, the most, the most “basic” are the rules for reading vowels in open and closed syllables.

There is NO need to “learn the rules” of reading separately. You need to learn quite a lot of words - examples of this rule. By memorizing the rules, you remember patterns, which you then notice in unfamiliar words.

Let's go through the dictionary

Once upon a time, it seems like a long time ago, there was no electronic dictionaries. Why, back then there were no computers. The translation of unfamiliar words had to be looked for by leafing through a thick, solid book DICTIONARY. Probably, even now every student of English has a large or not very large English-Russian dictionary, which is called “hardcover”.

It is, of course, easier to look for a translation of a word in the electronic version of the dictionary, but when you hold a book in your hands, you see more words, it is easier to find words in which the vowel means a certain sound. So, let's go through the dictionary and look for patterns.

"Alphabet" for the letter "A"

[x]
ant - ant act act apple - apple	able ace ace
bad - bad bag - bag	baby ["beIbi] child bake bacon ["beIkn] bacon bait bait
camp - camp cat - cat	cable cable cake
daddy - dad dam - dam	date date, date day day daisy ["deIzI] daisy danger ["deInGq] danger
enamel enamel embarrass to embarrass	enable promote embrace
fan - fan, fan fact fact fax fax	face face fame fake - fake, counterfeit
gas - gas ganster - ganster	game game gate
hat - hat hand - hand	hate
jam ["Gxm] - jam, jam jaguar ["Gxgjq] jaguar	Jane -Jane jail ["GeIl] prison
lamp - lamp	lady ["leIdI] - lady, lady
mad - crazy	make - do, produce
narrow ["nxrqV] narrow	name - name, call
pack pack, flock	pale - pale
rat - rat	radio ["reIdiqV] radio
sad - sad	safe safe
tank tank	take

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

Open and closed syllable

This table does not contain words for all letters of the alphabet, but this is enough. As you can see, in English there are a lot of short words like

hat is a closed syllable - after the letter a there is one consonant and nothing else.

hate is an open syllable - after the letter a there is one consonant and a “silent” letter e (it is not pronounced).

Using such examples, the rules for reading vowels in open and closed (stressed!) syllables are the easiest to remember. So,

In an open stressed syllable, vowels are read in the same way as they are called (as in the alphabet), i.e. This is alphabetical reading.

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Even this “simple” rule does not apply to all words. To read a vowel letter it is important what letters exactly? stand in front of her and behind her. Therefore, the letter a can also be read as [L] or [R]. But more on that in the next lesson.
In the meantime, try to remember the words from the table above and
transcription signs [x] and .
More:

In English, it is customary to distinguish 4 types of syllables:

1. An open syllable ends with a vowel. In English, a syllable followed by a consonant + an unpronounceable final is considered open. "e".
The vowels in this syllable are pronounced the same way as they are called in the alphabet.

2. A closed syllable ends with a consonant. In this type of syllable, vowels convey short sounds.

3. The third type of syllable is a syllable in which a vowel is followed by a letter "r"(at the end of a syllable) or "r"+ consonant. In this syllable, all vowels convey long sounds.

4. The fourth type of syllable is a syllable in which the vowel is followed by the combination "r"+ vowel. In this syllable, all vowels convey long and complex sounds.

Rules for reading vowels in English

To listen, click on the highlighted word.

Features of vowel pronunciation.

1. If a word consists of two or more syllables, namely, it contains two or more vowels, then the letter e at the end of the word is not pronounced. For example: die , mate , bottle .
2. If the word consists of one syllable and ends with a letter e, which in this case will be the only vowel, then the letter e pronounced as in the alphabet. For example: me , he , she .
3. If a word consists of one, two or more syllables and ends in ee, then this combination is always stressed and pronounced as . For example: fee , employee , see.

The open-closed syllable rule affects the pronunciation of vowels in English.
Stressed syllable is called open if it ends in a vowel not followed by a consonant, or if it ends in a consonant followed by another vowel. For example, me, tea, play or ending in a consonant followed by a vowel, as in place, truly, precise.

4. Stressed vowels in an open syllable a, e, u, i, o

a - place , may,play, take
e - fee , me, tea, meter
u - true , truly, plume
u - pure , fuel, due
i - tie , nice, tiny
o[əu] - bone , toe, go

A stressed syllable is called closed if it ends in a consonant that is not followed by a vowel. For example: pot, tip, pattern, doctor, but, sector. All these words have a closed syllable, that is, a syllable that ends in a consonant, as in the words: pot, tip, but; or followed by another consonant, as in: pattern, doctor, sector.

5. Stressed vowels in a closed syllable a, e, u, i, o pronounced as follows:

a [æ] - bag , pattern , flag, exam
e[e] - bed , message , met, pretend
u [Λ] - but , must , button, disgust
i[i] - insist , pin , tip, pistol
o [ɔ] - bottle , prolong , box, lock

There are many exceptions to the rules of open and closed syllables.

6. Vowel a before a consonant s, followed by another consonant reads: pass , master, past.
7. Vowel a before a consonant th pronounced like: father , path, rather.
8. Vowel a before a consonant w in a closed syllable it is pronounced as [ɔ] or [ɔ:]: want , was, wander.
9. Vowel a before l + consonant pronounced [ɔ:]: walk , also, false.
10. Vowels in a closed syllable a, i, y before combination consonant + le pronounced as in an open syllable: title , maple , cycle , table, idle.
11. Vowel o before consonants m, n, th, v pronounced [Λ]: front , some , dove , brother , glove, won, mother, come.
12. The vowel o in words like host , most, post pronounced as in the open syllable [əu].
13. There are also isolated exceptions, such as the words: put , pull, push, where in a closed syllable the vowel u is pronounced [u], or the word give, where in the open syllable the letter i pronounced the same as in closed.
14. Stressed vowel y in an open syllable it is pronounced as: sky , fly, type.
15. Unstressed y at the end of a polysyllabic word it is pronounced as [i]: happy , truly, ferry.
16. In a closed syllable under stress y pronounced as [i]: myth , rhythm, system.

RULES FOR READING CONSONANTS:

Features of the pronunciation of certain letters at the beginning of a word.

The letter at the beginning of a word is not pronounced w, if it is followed by r: wrong , write, wrist.
No letters are pronounced at the beginning of a word g And k, if they are followed by n: knight , knot, gnat, gnaw.
If at the beginning of a word there is a combination wh, then the letter h not pronounced in this combination: what , where, white.
However, if after the combination wh followed by a vowel O, then the letter is not pronounced w, but not h: who , whose, wholesale.

Features of pronouncing certain letters in the middle of a word.

In the middle of a word there is a combination ng pronounced [ŋg]: angry , finger, singer.

Peculiarities of pronouncing certain letter combinations at the end of a word

Unstressed letter combinations at the end of a word er, re, or, unlike drums, is pronounced [ə]: , brisque.

Features of pronouncing certain letters in combination with other letters.

Letter c pronounced as [s] when it comes before letters e, i, or y: cycle , cell, piece, circus, precise, cynic c pronounced as [k]: cat , cut, pack, back, clock.
Letter g pronounced like , if it comes before letters e, i, or y: college , germ, giant, Gipsy, gym, prodigy. In all other cases the letter g pronounced [g]: guest , game, flag, magnetism, saga, plug.
However, there are a number of exceptions to this rule, where, despite the combination with the letters indicated above, the letter g pronounced [g]: give , girl, bagger, finger and others.

Let's look at open and closed syllables in English. As you already understand, reading vowels in English is closely related to this concept.

The main trick here is that vowels can be pronounced differently depending on which syllable they are present in. In English there are only two syllables: open and closed.

Open syllable in English

What is open syllable? This is the syllable that ends in a vowel (usually e, but it itself is not pronounced). In such a syllable, vowel letters are read only as they are called in the alphabet (see table No. 1).

🔊 m e [M AND:] "to me" ;
🔊n i ce [H AI C] "pleasant";
🔊sk y [SK AI] "sky";
🔊s o da [CO U DE] "carbonated drink".

Closed syllable in English

Finally, let's look at the vowels in a closed syllable. Here their pronunciation may seem more familiar to you, perhaps with the exception of the letter u, which is pronounced as a sound similar to [A]. A letter a- [E] (see table No. 2).

🔊l i p[L AND P] “lip”;
🔊b u t[B A T] “but”;
🔊p e t [P E T] "pet";
🔊 h o t [X ABOUT T] "hot".

Comment: Consonants at the end of words in a closed syllable are not devoiced, as in Russian. So, we write “horn” and pronounce [ROK]. There is no such thing in English, otherwise there would be confusion:

🔊ma d [ME D] "crazy" - 🔊ma t [ME T] "rug".

Letter combinations with letters require special attention r(see table No. 3):

Examples of words with syllables from the table:

🔊 bar[BA:] "bar";
🔊 her[HYO:] "her"
🔊fir[FYO:] “spruce”;
🔊 for[FO:] "for" ;
🔊 fur[FYO:] “wool”;
🔊 Byrne [BY:N] “Byrne” (proper noun).

The letter itself r is not pronounced, but the vowel preceding it takes a long time to pronounce.

The reading of a vowel depends on the letters adjacent to it and on the type of syllable in which it is located.

Open syllable

A syllable is considered open if it ends with a vowel (to-tal, ri-val, bi-ble, mo-tor). The vowel in this case gives a long sound - that is, it is read as in the alphabet. Words with silent “e” also belong to this type. For example:

take
Pete
kite
nose
cute

Some monosyllabic words are also open syllables. For example, me, she, he and no, so, go.

Closed syllable

The closed syllable is the most common orthographic unit of the English language; it makes up about 50% of the syllables in the text. A closed syllable ends with one or more consonants, and the vowel in this case is read briefly.

There are many closed monosyllabic words in English (cat, pin, hen). If a beginning with a vowel is added to them, the consonant before it is doubled. This is done to avoid changing the sound. For example:

hat-ha tt er
pin - pi nn ed
hot-ho tt est
red-re dd ish
cut - cu tt ing

Syllable “vowel + r”

The third type of syllable is one in which the vowel is followed by the letter "r". In this case, the vowel gives a long sound, and the “r” itself is not readable (in).

car
herb
girl [ɡɜːl]
form
turn

The double "r" does not affect the sound of the vowel. In this case, the syllable is read as closed. Compare:

smi r k - mi rr or [ˈmɪrə]
cu r l - cu rr ent [ˈkʌr(ə)nt]
po r t - to rr ent [ˈtɒr(ə)nt]

Syllable “vowel + re”

In a syllable of this type, the letter “r” is also unreadable, and the vowel forms a diphthong.

dare
more
hire [ˈhaɪə]
core
pure

Syllable “consonant + le”

Sometimes this syllable is highlighted separately - it occurs only at the end of the word. If there is one consonant before -le, the syllable is read as open. If there are two consonants before -le, it is read as closed. Compare:

ta bl e [ˈteɪbl] - da bbl e, ti tl e [ˈtaɪtl] - li ttl e [ˈlɪtl]
bu gl e-stru ggl e [ˈstrʌɡl], ri fl e [ˈraɪfl] - sni ffl e [ˈsnɪfl]

Not every consonant occurs in combination with -le. Here are those that are typical for the English language:

-ble (bubble) -fle (rifle) -stle (whistle) -cle (cycle)
-gle (bugle) -tle (brittle) -ckle (pickle) -kle (tinkle)
-zle (dazzle) -dle (bridle) -ple (staple)

Vowel combinations (digraphs)

A digraph is a combination of two letters that are pronounced as one sound. In the case of vowels, this may be a long sound, a short sound, or a diphthong. Most often, digraphs are found in old Anglo-Saxon words whose pronunciation has undergone changes over hundreds of years: thief, boil, hay, boat, straw. They are read according to special rules, but there are many exceptions, so such words need to be learned gradually and systematically.

Basic vowel digraphs

Writing	Pronunciation	Examples
ai/ay	[eɪ]	bait, hay
au/aw	[ ɔː ]	taunt, draw
ea	[i:]	meat, deal
ea	[e]	bread, steady
ee	[i:]	feed, reel
ei	[eɪ]	feint, vein
ei	[i:] (after c)	ceiling, receive
eu/ew	[ju:]	feud, strewn
ie	[i:]	thief, priest
oa	[ əʊ ]	coat, goal
oi/oy	[ ɔɪ ]	coin, toy
oo	[u:]	root, food
oo	[ʊ] (before k)	book, look
ou	[aʊ]	loud, loud
ou	[u:]	soup, ghoul
ow	[aʊ]	cow, howl
ow	[oʊ]	know, low

A vowel combination is not a digraph if the vowels belong to different syllables. In this case, the first vowel is read as in an open syllable, and the second is in an unstressed position and gives the sound [ə]. For example: lion ["laɪən], diet [ˈdaɪət].