AED 302 Study Guide - Final Guide: Syllable, Affix, Diphthong
AED 302 Lecture 29
Homographs
words that have the same spelling as another word but have different meaning
(verb) tired meaning fatigue / (noun) tire meaning the rubber around a wheel of an
automobile
Homophones
words that are pronounced the same as another word but have a different meaning
and/or spelling
carat/carrot/caret
to/too/two
Analogies
compare two things that are usually thought of as different but have something in
common
hand is to glove as foot is to sock
cold is to hot as wet is to dry
Closed syllable
A closed syllable ends in a consonant. This is the most common spelling unit in
English and accounts for 50% out of all the total syllables in text.
For example: hot, help, and dog.
Open syllable
An open syllable ends in a vowel. The vowel has a long vowel sound.
For example: the "va" in vacant: va/cant; the "a" in agent: a/gent; and the "bru" in
brutal: bru/tal.
Vowel-consonant-e syllable
The vowel-consonant-e syllable has a silent "e" and makes the vowel before it long;
this syllable is usually found at the end of a word.
For example: name, mice, and cake.
Vowel Digraph
two vowels blending together to make one new sound.
For example: the "ou" in south; the "au" in taught; and the "oa" in boat.
Vowel Diphthong
Two vowel sounds blending together to make one sound: oy, ow, oi, ou, and aw.
Vowel diphthongs are sometimes referred to as "gliding vowels."
For example: the "ou" in proud; the "oy" in boy; and the "oi" in foil.
Consonant + -le syllable
A consonant + -le syllable occurs at the end of a word. If the consonant + -le
syllable is found next to an open syllable, then the vowel in the open syllable stays
long. If the consonant + -le is next to a closed syllable, the vowel in the closed
syllable stays short.
For example: bugle, candle, bubble, circle, and trample.
R-controlled syllable
An r-controlled syllable that contains a vowel followed by the letter r. The "r"
controls the vowel and changes the way the vowel is pronounced.
For example: car, guitar, mother, and manor.
Root
Base words to which prefixes, suffixes, and syllables can be added
Affix
a prefix or suffix
Words that attach to the root word and modify the meaning
Suffix
A letter or letters at the end of a root word that changes its meaning
