Syllable Types Including Closed Syllables and Open Syllables

If you’re helping your child learn to read and words are feeling a little overwhelming—understanding syllable types can make a big difference.

One of the easiest ways to help kids read longer words is by teaching them how to break words into syllables. Don’t worry if you’ve never taught this before — I’ll walk you through it step-by-step.

Let’s start with the two most common ones: closed syllables and open syllables.

What is a syllable?

A syllable is just a beat or part in a word.
Say the word napkin. You’ll hear two parts: nap – kin. That means it has two syllables.

This is the first step to helping kids read bigger words — break them into chunks they can actually decode.

1. Closed Syllable

A closed syllable ends in a consonant, and the vowel has a short sound.

Examples:

cat (one syllable)
napkin → nap – kin
Both syllables end in consonants and the vowels make their short sounds.

Need help? Try these closed syllable activities to practice at home.

2. Open Syllable

An open syllable ends in a vowel, and that vowel says its name (a long vowel sound).

Examples:

me (one syllable)
robot → ro – bot
The first syllable “ro” ends in a vowel, so the o says its name.

Start here with this open and closed syllables activity — quick and easy to use at home.

3. Magic E Syllable (also called Silent E)

This syllable ends with a silent e, which makes the first vowel say its name (long sound).

Examples:

bike (one syllable)
behave → be – have
The e is silent but changes the vowel sound before it.

4. Vowel Team Syllable

This syllable has two vowels next to each other that work together to make one sound.

Examples:

rain (one syllable)
boating → boat – ing
The first syllable “boat” has a vowel team: oa says the long o sound.

5. R-Controlled Syllable

This syllable has a vowel followed by r, and the r changes the vowel’s sound.

Examples:

car (one syllable)
market → mar – ket
The ar in “mar” makes a controlled vowel sound.

6. Consonant + LE Syllable

This syllable usually comes at the end of a word. It’s made of a consonant plus le, and the consonant joins the le to form its own syllable.

Examples:

little → lit – tle
puzzle → puz – zle
The tle and zle each form the final syllable.

Where to start?

For most kids — especially if you’re focusing on syllables for kindergarten — the best place to start is with open syllables and closed syllables.

These two types are the easiest to spot and make a big impact on reading skills right away.

Try this free open and closed syllables activity to get started today.

Final Tip

You don’t need to teach all 6 types at once. Start with one, get comfortable, and build from there. With just a little practice, you’ll be amazed at how much easier reading becomes for your child.

You’ve got this — and I’m here to help.