Updated on March 27, 2017
Sometimes it is necessary to divide a word at the end of the line because there is not enough space for the completion of the word. These days many computer programs automatically take care of this problem for you. However, if you are using a typewriter or handwriting on stationary it is useful to know these rules.
In order to divide a word add a hyphen (-) typed without a space immediately after the first part of the divided word at the end of the line.
For example …The matter of job compen-
sation is extremely important…
Rules for Dividing Words
Here are the most important rules to follow when dividing a word
- By syllable: Divide the word by syllables or units of sound. For example, important, im-por-tant — ‘important’ has three syllables; thinking, think-ing — ‘thinking’ has two syllables
- By structure: Divide the word into the smaller units of meaning from which the word is constructed. It may have a beginning (a prefix) such as un-, dis-, im-, etc., (im-portant, dis-interested) or an ending (a suffix) such as -able, -fully, (as in desirable, desir-able).
- By meaning: Decide how each part of the divided word is best understood in order that the word is easily recognized from the two parts. For example, compound words such as houseboat made up of two words combined to make a single word, house-boat.
Here are six further rules to help you decide when and how to divide words.
- Never divide a word within a syllable.
- Never divide an ending (suffix) of two syllables such as -able or -fully.
- Never divide a word with an ending of two letters such as -ed -er, -ic (exception -ly)
- Never divide a word so that one of the parts is a single letter.
- Never divide a word of one syllable.
- Never divide a word of fewer than five letters.
Rules for Dividing Words
- By syllable: Divide the word by syllables or units of sound.
- By structure: Divide the word into the smaller units of meaning from which the word is constructed.
- By meaning: Decide how each part of the divided word is best understood in order that the word is easily recognized from the two parts.
Contents
- 1 How do you explain syllables to a child?
- 2 What is the rule for syllables?
- 3 How do I teach my 5 year old to spell?
- 4 How can I teach my child to spell words fast?
- 5 How do you teach students to divide words into syllables?
- 6 When should you teach syllables?
- 7 What are the 6 types of syllables?
- 8 What word has two vowels?
- 9 What are the phonics rules?
- 10 Why can’t I spell but I can read?
- 11 How can I help my Grade 1 spelling?
- 12 What should a 7 year old be able to spell?
- 13 How do I teach my 10 year old to spell?
- 14 Why is my child struggling with spelling?
- 15 What are some 5 syllable words?
- 16 What are examples of syllables?
- 17 How do you find the stressed syllable in a word?
- 18 How do you help students struggle with syllables?
- 19 How do you teach a toddler syllables?
- 20 How do you identify 2 syllables words?
How do you explain syllables to a child?
A syllable is also called a ‘beat’ and teachers often teach children to identify syllables by clapping the ‘beats’ in words. Another way to describe a syllable is a ‘mouthful’ of a word. You can often find the syllables in a word if you notice when you open and close your mouth as you pronounce the word.
What is the rule for syllables?
Basic Syllable Rules. —subtract one vowel from every diphthong, (diphthongs only count as one vowel sound.) —the number of vowels sounds left is the same as the number of syllables. The number of syllables that you hear when you pronounce a word is the same as the number of vowels sounds heard.
How do I teach my 5 year old to spell?
Here are some fun and simple spelling games and activities to help you teach your child spelling words and improve their confidence:
- Teach your child spelling words with ‘Lily Pad Letters’
- Use ‘Stair Steps’ to memorize certain words.
- Toss around the ‘Spelling Ball’
- Use magazine clippings to familiarize with letters.
How can I teach my child to spell words fast?
Five Ways to Teach your Child to Spell Words
- Stair steps. Write the words as if they are stairs, adding one letter at a time.
- Flash cards. Using index cards, write the words your child is practicing on the front of the card and its definition on the back.
- Trace, Copy, Recall.
- Memorization.
- Spelling train.
How do you teach students to divide words into syllables?
Tips for Teaching Syllable Division Rules to Students
- Look at the word. Circle the vowel sounds with red.
- Underline the consonants BETWEEN the vowels (don’t worry about the other consonants).
- Determine which syllable division rule (VC/CV, V/CV, VC/V, or V/V) applies.
- Cut or mark the word accordingly.
- Read the word.
When should you teach syllables?
When to teach it: I usually teach this toward the beginning of first grade. Students should have lots of experience with CVC words. You can introduce 2-syllable words with 2 closed syllables (like “sunset” or “bathtub”) and explain what a closed syllable is.
What are the 6 types of syllables?
There are six syllable types that make this possible: closed, open, silent e, vowel pair, r-controlled, and final stable syllable. Every word has at least one vowel. Single-letter words, such as I and a, are vowel- only words.
What word has two vowels?
Examples: staff, ball, pass. Two-Vowels Together: When two vowels are next to each other, the first vowel is usually long (the sound is the same as the sound of the letter) and the second vowel is silent. Examples: meat, seat, plain, rain, goat, road, lie, pie.
What are the phonics rules?
15 phonics rules for reading and spelling
- Vowels in syllables. Every syllable of every word must have at least one vowel sound.
- Short and long vowels. Vowels can make different sounds.
- Silent e.
- Consonant blends and digraphs.
- Vowel digraphs.
- R-controlled vowels.
- The “schwa” sound.
- Soft c and hard c, and soft g and hard g.
Why can’t I spell but I can read?
Dyslexia. “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.They may also have difficulty with reading comprehension, spelling, and writing.
How can I help my Grade 1 spelling?
Tips for teaching spelling
- Let them get creative.
- Write words out by hand.
- Encourage reading.
- Spell the word out loud.
- Keep words on display.
- Play games to practice.
- Teach touch typing.
- Explain mnemonics.
What should a 7 year old be able to spell?
A 7-8 year old is spelling words they read and use frequently. By this age children are spelling many high frequency words (words we see written commonly) correctly. They are also spelling correctly a list of personal word including names of their suburb, family members, friends and pet’s names.
How do I teach my 10 year old to spell?
Here are several tips to help your child improve his or her spelling ability:
- Encourage mastery of the sight words.
- Make sure your student understands the different sounds that letter combinations make.
- Help your child recognize word families.
- Help your child memorize common spelling rules.
- Practice, practice, practice.
Why is my child struggling with spelling?
If your child struggles with spelling it could be attributed to other challenges that you should first consider. Children with dyslexia (language-based learning difference), ADHD (difficulty with focusing and attention), dysgraphia, and dyspraxia (difficulty with fine motor skills) can find spelling more difficult.
What are some 5 syllable words?
words 5 syllable
- amanuensis.
- belletristical.
- penetralia.
- superangelic.
- supercelestial.
- subterranean.
- tonsillectomy.
- appendectomy.
What are examples of syllables?
A syllable is a part of a word that contains a single vowel sound and that is pronounced as a unit. So, for example, ‘book‘ has one syllable, and ‘reading’ has two syllables. We children called her Oma, accenting both syllables.
How do you find the stressed syllable in a word?
A stressed syllable combines five features:
- It is l-o-n-g-e-r – com p-u-ter.
- It is LOUDER – comPUTer.
- It has a change in pitch from the syllables coming before and afterwards.
- It is said more clearly -The vowel sound is purer.
- It uses larger facial movements – Look in the mirror when you say the word.
How do you help students struggle with syllables?
When teaching your students to spell longer words effectively, here are some tips:
- Repeat the word and give it in a sentence.
- Make a line for each spoken syllable.
- Pronounce each syllable one by one.
- Segment the sounds in each syllable and write each one.
- Check for sounds and rules.
- Reread.
How do you teach a toddler syllables?
That’s right, I have put together an incredible resource with everything you ever wanted to know about syllable counting, including what makes a syllable, strategies for teaching children to count syllables, syllable word cards, and several interactive activities and games to get kids practicing their syllable counting
How do you identify 2 syllables words?
To use it, say the word and clap your hands together each time you hear a vowel sound. For example, take the word “autumn”: au-tumn. That’s two vowel sounds, so it’s two syllables even though autumn has three vowel letters: a, u and u.
Are you confused about how to divide words into syllables? Or maybe you’re not sure exactly how to teach your students the syllable division rules. It can be tricky, but with a few simple rules, you’ll be able to do it like a pro. In this blog post, we will discuss the most common ways to divide words into syllables, as well as provide some tips for making the process easier. So if you’re ready to learn more about breaking words into syllables, keep reading!
Why Syllable Division Is Helpful
By knowing how to split words into syllables, students can chunk up bigger words into more manageable pieces. This helps them read longer and more difficult words, as well as unfamiliar words.
Dividing words into syllables also helps you figure out what the vowel sound will be. When students come across unfamiliar words, breaking them up into syllables can help them predict what the vowel sound will be based on the patterns they see in the words.
Syllabication Rules
There are several rules, or better yet patterns since there are always some exceptions, that can help with syllable division. Remember that there are 6 syllable types, but some words are only 1 syllable. Refer to my guide on the 6 syllable types for more on each.
The main thing to keep in mind when dividing words into syllables is that every syllable must have a vowel sound! We hear a vowel sound in every syllable, and sometimes it takes more than one vowel to make a vowel sound.
Here are the different rules to break words into syllables:
Rule 1: VC/CV – Split 2 consonants that are between vowels.
Whenever 2 consonants come together in a word, divide between them: VC/CV
The exceptions to this are to keep consonant digraphs (i.e. ch, ph, ck) and consonant blends (i.e. bl, st, fr) together.
Check out my VCCV Syllable Division Worksheets if you’re looking for a ready made teaching resource.
Rule 2: C+le – The ending -le usually takes the consonant before it to make one syllable.
When a word ends with a consonant and -le, divide it before the consonant so that the last syllable is C+le.
The silent e in C+le words helps add that vowel sound we need in every consonant. It’s one of the many jobs of silent e.
Check out my C+le Syllable Division Worksheets if you’re looking for a ready made teaching resource.
Rule 3: V/CV & VC/V – Split before or after a consonant that comes between 2 vowels.
When only one consonant comes between vowels, divide after the first vowel: V/CV. This makes the first syllable an open syllable, and it will have a long sound.
Pronounce the word with an open syllable. If this doesn’t make a word that sounds familiar, then divide after the consonant: VC/V. This makes the first syllable closed, so the vowel will say its short sound.
Because this one is not as predictable I teach it after VCCV and C+le. I typically start with V/CV only, then I teach VC/V. After this, I mix them up and teach students to be flexible, showing them how to try it as V/Cv first, then VC/V after.
Check out my VC-V and V-CV syllable division worksheets if you’re looking for ready made teaching resources.
Rule 4: V/V – Split 2 vowels next to each other that do not work as a team.
If a vowel combination is in reverse, divide between the vowels: V/V. In this case, each vowel will have a sound.
It’s so important for students to know common vowel teams so they don’t split those up! If students are still learning basic vowel teams, wait to teach this syllable division pattern. Words like “beach” and “boat” have vowel teams that do not get split. These vowel teams work together to represent one vowel sound.
Rule 5: VC/CCV & VCC/CV – Split before or after the second consonant when 3 consonants come together.
When three consonants come together, divide after the first consonant: VC/CCV. If this doesn’t make a word that sounds familiar, divide after the second constant: VCC/CV.
These words often contain blends and digraphs, which if you recall, do not get broken up. When you see 3 or more consonants together, look for blends and digraphs to help determine where to split the word.
Rule 6: Divide after a prefix and before a suffix.
When you see a prefix, divide the word right after it. When you see a suffix, divide right before it. There are a few exceptions to suffixes creating their own syllable, but this will be apparent after the student has split up the word and tried to pronounce it.
The exception to this rule is the suffix -ed. Sometimes this does not create an extra vowel sound, such as in the words jumped and sailed. Regardless, once the suffix is identified and the word is pronounced, you’ll know if it’s a syllable or not.
Strategies To Teach Syllabication Rules
Teach students to use vowels to identify syllables
Since one vowel sound = one syllable, the first thing students should do is identify the vowels. I always have my students draw a dot above each vowel. After that, I have them label every vowel and consonant by writing a V or C under each letter. Then they have to check if it’s a vowel team or silent e. At this point, they know exactly how many syllables a word has, even if they’re not sure where to split it yet.
Below is an example using the word student.
Teach students to look for patterns
At this point, students can look for patterns in the consonant and vowels. Students should look for vowel teams and magic e’s, digraphs and blends, then look for syllable patterns: VC, CV, VCCV, VCe, C+le, VCV, VV, Vr.
Teach base word families, prefixes, and suffixes
Students should also check for any base words, prefixes, and/or suffixes. Each base word or affix usually is its own syllable, but in some cases, they are not. Students can split these and try reading the word.
Teaching affixes daily and working with word family groups is a great way to address this area. Through consistent exposure and practice, students internalize these word parts and more quickly divide words into syllables.
Teach the different spelling patterns for each sound
It’s helpful if students know the options for spelling certain sounds, such as all the ways to pronounce the suffix -ed. This way when they are breaking up the word into syllable and sounding it out, they can accurately read a word.
A sound wall is a great way to teach all the spelling patterns for each sound. You can display each spelling pattern as students learn it and keep it up all year long as a reference. Read more about sound walls here.
Syllable Activities For Teaching Syllable Separation
Start off with teaching the 6 syllable types, one at a time. I created a bundle of all my syllable division worksheets which you can check out below.
You can also download these syllable types reference posters by signing up for my email list below.
Diagram multisyllabic words
Whenever I am teaching syllabication, students must always follow the same procedure to diagram each word:
- Spot and dot the vowels
- Label the consonants and vowels underneath
- Look for patterns, affixes, and base words
- Split according to the rules
- Mark the vowels as long or short
- Read the word aloud
Below is an example, the same picture I used above to show how to mark the vowels. You can see the student placed a dot above both vowels, labeled each consonant and vowel, found blends, found where to split the word, then marked the vowels as long and short.
Cut words into syllables
The very first activity after teaching the syllable division pattern is to cut words up because the visual really helps struggling learners. I write a few words on index cards, have students diagram the words, then cut them along the division line. We later use these to sort syllables.
Sort syllables
There are tons of syllable sorting activities you can download and prepare, but I like to use the cut up syllables from the previous activity to sort syllables. You can sort into all the syllables types or just choose 2 to focus on as pictured below.
I also use a syllable and vowel pattern chart to sort syllables as I teach them. Each student has their own copy of this and fills it in as we learn each syllable.
Syllable search
This is an easy activity you can do with any text, but a targeted decodable text is ideal. Simply ask students to read a passage and highlight all the words that have the target syllable. From here, students can create a list of the words they found and split them.
Conclusion
Syllable division rules help readers break words into smaller parts making reading the word easier on their brains. This means that they don’t have to work as hard when trying to figure out what word you’re saying or spelling because each syllable has its own meaning and breaks up the task of decoding letters in order one at a time for your brain. Try these activities next time you teach syllable division.
Sources:
- How To Teach Spelling by Laura Toby Rudginsky and Elizabeth C. Haskell
- Phonics and Spelling Through Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping by Katheryn E. S. Grace
- Structured Literacy Interventions: Teaching Students with Reading Difficulties, Grades K-6 by Louise Spear-Swerling
- Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers by Louisa Cook Moats
Want to remember this? Save Syllable Division Rules: How To Divide Words Into Syllables to your favorite Pinterest board!
Delilah Orpi is the founder of Thrive Literacy Corner. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education, a Master’s degree in TESOL, and is a member of the International Dyslexia Association. She is an experienced educator and literacy specialist trained in Orton Gillingham and Lindamood Bell. Delilah creates literacy resources for educators and parents and writes to create awareness about dyslexia and effective literacy instruction based on the science of reading.
Like spelling rules, the rules for word division may seem arbitrary. Actually, they follow specific guidelines. The following rules explain the basics of properly dividing words. A good dictionary is the best guide for divid- ing words correctly.
General Rules
Following are two general rules for word division.
1. Avoid dividing words at the end of more than three successive lines.
| AVOID | BETTER |
|---|---|
| We came into the confer- ence hall late but man- aged to find our seat- ing arrangements before the first speaker began. |
We came into the confer- ence hall late but man- aged to find our seating arrangements before the first speaker began. |
2. Avoid dividing a word at the end of a page or dividing the last word of a paragraph.
Syllables and Word Division
Words are divided only between syllables. As a result, one-syllable words such as trough, while, and there are never divided.
Each syllable in word division must contain a vowel; therefore, most contractions cannot be divided.
- con-trol (not con-tr-ol)
- couldn’t (not could-n’t)
- hy-drau-lic (not hy-dr-au-lic)
- isn’t (not is-n’t)
When a word is divided, there must be more than one letter on the first line and more than two letters on the second line.
| INCORRECT | CORRECT |
|---|---|
| He apologized to everyone most sincere- ly. |
He apologized to everyone most sin- cerely. |
| She told reporters that all her jewel- ry had been stolen. |
She told reporters that all her jew- elry had been stolen. |
| “Look at this letter; it’s full of e- rasures.” |
“Look at this letter; it’s full of era- sures.” |
| He’s not sick. He’s suffering from a- pathy. |
He’s not sick. He’s suffering from ap- athy. |
Single-Letter Syllables
A single-letter syllable will always be a vowel. Generally, a single-letter syl- lable within a word should be left with the first part of the word and not carried over to the second line.
- bus-i-ness = busi-ness (not bus-iness)
- ox-y-gen = oxy-gen (not ox-ygen)
- sep-a-rate = sepa-rate (not sep-arate)
When two single-letter syllables occur together in a word, divide the word between the single-letter syllables.
- grad-u-a-tion = gradu-ation (not grad-uation)
- in-sin-u-a-tion = insinu-ation (not insin-uation)
When the single-letter syllable a, i, or u is followed by the final syllable ble, bly, or cal, join the two end syllables and carry them over to the next line.
- cler-i-cal = cler-ical (not cleri-cal)
- de-pend-a-ble = depend-able (not dependa-ble)
Final and Double Consonants
If a final consonant preceded by a vowel is doubled before adding a suffix, divide the word between the two consonants.
- plan + ing = planning = plan-ning
- set + ing = setting = set-ting
- win + ing = winning = win-ning
If the root word ends in a double consonant before the suffix is added, divide the word between the root word and the suffix.
- assess + ing = assessing = assess-ing
- tell + ing = telling = tell-ing
A word should never be divided between two or three consonants pro- nounced as one.
- catch-ing (not cat-ching)
- cush-ion (not cus-hion)
- leath-ery (not leat-hery)
Hyphenated Words
Divide hyphenated words and compound hyphenated words only at the hyphen that connects them.
- self-assessment = self-assessment (not self-assess-ment)
- ex-husband = ex-husband (not ex-hus-band)
- client-oriented approach = client-oriented approach (not client-or-iented approach)
Proper Names
Avoid dividing a person’s name or any proper name. Separate titles, initials, or degrees from names only when it is unavoidable.
| AVOID | BETTER |
|---|---|
| Mrs. Joan Cunning- ham |
Mrs. Joan Cunningham |
| Ms. Angela Sortino |
Ms. Angela Sortino |
| George Watson, PhD |
George Watson, PhD |
Figures and Abbreviations
In general, avoid dividing figures and abbreviations. However, if parts of an address or date must be separated, use the following guidelines.
Dividing Addresses
| AVOID | BETTER |
|---|---|
| 15 Water Street |
15 Water Street |
| 557 West Lock- port |
557 West Lockport |
| 1903 71st Avenue |
1903 71st Avenue |
| New York, New York |
New York, New York |
Dividing Dates
| AVOID | BETTER |
|---|---|
| August 20, 1976 |
August 20, 1976 |
| September 15, 19- 55 |
September 15, 1955 |
| 1903 71st Avenue |
1903 71st Avenue |
| New York, New York |
New York, New York |
quote:
What is the grammatical rule for separating a word when you come to the end of a line? Do you separate the word only at the first syllable or can it be at any syllable break? Thanks!
There are several rules for word division in the Chicago Manual of Style*.
In answer to your specific question, the break does not have to come only after the first syllable, although it very often does.
Many words have only two syllables, so of course the break comes between the syllables:
know-ledge
child-hood
sys-tem
It’s possible, though, to separate after the second or third syllable:
democ-racy
criti-cism
infor-mation
authori-tative
compli-mentary
_______
There are several things to consider when dividing a word: how many syllables, the prefixes and suffixes, pronunciation, and more.
The Chicago and other good references show many pronunciation rules.
If you want to know another rule — in addition to this one you just asked — write again and we’ll research it for you.
Rachel
_______
*The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition. The University of Chicago Press. 2003