Q&A for How to Teach and Learn Syllabication

Here's the rule: When adding "ing" to a two-syllable word, double the final consonant if it's preceded by a single vowel and if the second syllable is stressed. Thus, it's "committing" but "gardening."

Double a final consonant before adding "ing" or "ed" whenever either of the following apply: (1) in a one-syllable word, the word ends with one consonant preceded by one vowel (for example, "sit" or "rob"; (2) in a word of more than one syllable, the word ends with one consonant preceded by one vowel, and the final syllable is vocally stressed (for example, "omit" or "regret").

The previous vowel, the intervening consonant, and the magic "E" always inhabit the same syllable. Examples: race, these, side, mode, cube, and compound words such as racetrack, sideline and roleplay.

For a one-syllable verb ending with a consonant, double that final consonant before adding a suffix (such as "ing" or "ed") only if the word ends with a consonant followed by one vowel followed by one consonant (for example, stop, rob, sit). For a multi-syllable verb ending in a consonant, double that final consonant only if the word is pronounced with a stressed final syllable (for example, prefer, begin, regret). Do not double the final consonant if the final syllable is not stressed (for example, listen, happen). In British English, there are two exceptions to the last rule: cancel ("cancelled") and travel ("travelled").

Go to any dictionary. It will show you how to syllabify any word.

This can be confusing. Officially, words such as "handle" and "rhythm" have just one syllable. As a practical matter, however, most people pronounce such words in two syllables: HAN-dull, RIH-thim. But if you want a "rule," go with one syllable.

"It's" has one syllable. "Doesn't" has two: does-n't.

The number of vowel sounds depends on the variety of English being considered. 18 is as good an estimate as any. Following is a basic list of 14 vowel sounds. Phonologists (those who study the sounds within a language) might well add to this list. Long "a": hate; short "a": hat; "schwah": the "a" in sofa or about, or the short "u" in nut; long "e": we; short "e": wet; long "i": high, die; short "i": hit; long "o": hope; short "o": hop; the diphthong "oi": boy; long "u": rude, tool; the "yu" in cute; the short "oo" in book; the diphthong "ow" in cow.

The syllabication of the word "happy" is "hap-py". Usually words with two constants in a row in the middle of a word are split into two syllables (for example, "lit-ter" or "dis-sat-is-fied").