Multi-syllable Words
Rules and Vowel Matrix
Vowel Sound % and Pictures
Step 1: Cut the words into chunks.
Mark the vowels – count consonants between.
How Many Consonants ( c ) Between Vowels ( v )?
v|cv
Short – Schwa
Long - Diphthong
vc|cv
v|ccv
vcc|v
vcc|ccv
vc|cccv
vccc|cv
vc|ccv
vcc|cv
cc = Blends: br tr bl or Digraphs: sh ch th
Short – Schwa - Long - Diphthong
Find the “e” in the middle of the word. Cut behind it.
95% compound word or word with prefix or suffix.
Find the “r” in the word. Cut behind it. 95% “bossy r”.
Find the “le” at the end of the word. Since “le” is so sticky, the
letter in front of it sticks to it. Cut in front of the three letters.
vccc|ccv
vcc|cccv
2 Syllable Words – Based on analysis of 3,672 words
Syllable
1
Short
2
Schwa
3
Long
4
Diphthong
5
Bossy R
First
51 %
9%
20 %
10 %
10 %
Second
23 %
23 %
27 %
9%
18 %
90% - 95% Compound
3 Syllable Words – Based on analysis of 3,056 words
grapefruit = grape|fruit
lovely = love|ly
First
57 %
12 %
15 %
8%
8%
or|ange pur|chase
Second
28 %
32 %
15 %
5%
20 %
ma|ple sim|ple
Third
17 %
38 %
28 %
4%
13 %
Step 2: Try the vowel sounds in this order.
3
long
4
diphthong
2ə
schwa
1 short
5
Bossy
R
Try sounds
in this
order.
three
Vowel
Sound
Pictures
father
2 Syllable Words
60
three
50
three
% per syllable
40
30
father
20
father
10
0
1st Syllable
2nd Syllable
Short
Schwa
Long
Diphthong
Vowel Type
Bossy R
3 Syllable Words
60
three
50
% per syllable
40
three
three
30
20
father
father
father
10
0
1st Syllable
Short
Schwa
2nd Syllable
Long
Diphthong
Vowel Type
3rd Syllable
Bossy R
a ay ai a?e
See
Hear
Say
e ea ee ei
eigh ey eye
e?e
three
e elevate eleven
ea feather heaven
a washday
e behave
decide
a above among
ai mountain
e judgement
a bacon danger crazy
dictator
ai afraid brainstorm email
a?e awake ballgame
baseball
ay away display daydrean
o oa oe ou ough
ow ol o?e
i begin arithmitic
ie handkerchief
i?e active
a alligator basket
piano
a anytime
i ie i?e igh
?ion
e ballet
ea icebreaker
eigh eighty neighbor
ey obey
e catastrophe
convenience three
ea creamy creature
ee creepy degree
ei caffeine receive
ey alley chimney
hockey
e?e athlete
eye eyesight
eyeglasses
u qua que qui
u?e
u button muffin
u?e judgement
y
y crystal
o cotton octopus pillbox
i muffin
?ion nation mission
o among button
ough toughness
o?e above
ue guesswork
qual qualify
i chili confetti devious
ingredient
three
ie belief cookie
ie?e believe besiege
i alibi final
ie necktie
i?e advice filename
igh daylight eyesight
que boquet
three
o ago polar locate upmost
oe toenail
oa oatmeal goalkeeper
ou poultry shoulder
ow arrow follow owner
ough furlough doughnut
o?e explode
ol rollerblade withhold
y happy city
copycat
qui mosquito
three
y qualify
ui disguise guidance
uy buying overbuy
u unify
See
Hear
al all au aw
ar air are ary
ew
er ear ere eart
iew
ir ire
Say
ew chewy fewer jewel
iew interview review
al almost cornstalk
all football hallway install
au author cautious applause
aw awful strawberry withdraw
oo oe ove
oa ou ough ought ow
oi oy uoy ong
or oar ore oor our
oo ballroom waterproof
ou coupon bouquet
ough breakthrough
oe shoemaker
ove remove
ou waterspout playground
ow downfall powerboat
a father garage grandpa
oi loincloth oilcloth poison
oy paperboy royal
father
father
u ual ue ui u?e
ur ure uire
u situation student super
ue statue rescue
u?e reduce refute resume
ui suitcase recruit
ual qualify
father
o bullfrog chocolate coupon
oa abroad broadcast
ong along
ought thoughtful
oo football goodness
er after feather lowercase
ir admiral confirmation
ior junior
ar apartment partner cartoon
er cherry cranberry
ar charity
air airplane dairy
aire billionaire
are compare declare
ary dictionary
ar postwar
or tornado formal
oar wallboard uproar
ore ignore offshore shoreline
oor indoors subfloor
our fourteen courtroom resource
ur juror nursory
purple return
ure injure leisure
ir mirror
or donor juror nursery
ire firewood umpire
uire acquire require
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