Open Syllables - The Reading and Spelling Rules That Nobody Taught You
So we are back with our next syllable type in our series The Reading & Spelling Rules That Nobody Taught You.
In this post, we are going to talk about the fourth syllable type we teach to our students…
Open Syllables
The Open Syllable is the opposite of a Closed Syllable. Remember, a Closed Syllable is a syllable with one vowel that is closed in at the end with a consonant.
So, an Open Syllable is a syllable with one vowel that is left open or free at the end. Open vowels can say their name or long sound. (I like to say that since the vowel isn’t closed in, it can get out and go for a looooong run and say it’s looooong sound!)
Some Open Syllable words are: hi, no, she, he, we, and so. Can you hear the long sounds at the end of each word? Pretty simple, right? These syllables can also be found within words. For example, words like tiger have an open syllable at the front (ti). Even though the vowel is in the middle of the word, it can still say its long sound! Click here to learn more about how we cover the syllable division strategies that align with this.
If you are looking for games to help review open syllables, check out our Open Syllable Word War below!
Y as a Vowel
Another skill we target in this syllable type is Y when it is acting as a vowel! You know how we’ve always heard that Y can sometimes be a vowel? When Y is at the end of a word, it acts like a vowel. The Letter Y is known as The Robber Guy because it steals the sounds of E and I.
We use the phrase “Cry Baby” to help our students remember this rule. When Y is at the end of a one-syllable word, it sounds like I. Think of words like spy, shy, my, and fly. When Y is at the end of a two-syllable word, it sounds like E, like in happy, sunny, puffy, and flaky.
You can check out our Open Syllables & Letter Y the Robber Guy lesson over here!
If you are looking for science of reading-aligned resources to support your phonics instruction, check out the 5CCL Activity Library. This library has hundreds of materials that are available at the click of a mouse and provides engaging activities for students at all grade levels.