How Many Syllables In Alcoholic?
4syllables
Alcoholic has 4 syllables, al-co-hol-ic. It is a polysyllabic word.
alcoholic
/ˌæl.kəˈhɒl.ɪk/ UK /ˌæl.kəˈhɑː.lɪk/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the third syllable, hol.
Syllable Structure
VC/CV/CVC/VC
Division By Sound
/æl.kə.hɒl.ɪk/
Division By Letters
al-co-hol-ic
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Alcoholic
S syllable, O onset, R rime, P peak, C coda, Ø no coda.
Parts Of Each Syllable
| Syllable | Onset | Peak | Coda | Pattern | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 secondary stress | – | æ | l | VC | closed |
| 2 | k | ə | – | CV | open |
| 3 primary stress | h | ɒ | l | CVC | closed |
| 4 | – | ɪ | k | VC | closed |
Why Alcoholic Divides Here
- Syllable 1 is stressed and has the short vowel /æ/, so it keeps a coda /l/.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /h/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
- Syllable 3 is stressed and has the short vowel /ɒ/, so it keeps a coda /l/.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in alcoholic?
Alcoholic has 4 syllables, al-co-hol-ic. In British English it is transcribed /ˌæl.kəˈhɒl.ɪk/.
Which syllable is stressed in alcoholic?
The third syllable, hol, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of alcoholic?
Alcoholic has the structure VC/CV/CVC/VC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide alcoholic into syllables?
By sound, æl.kə.hɒl.ɪk. By letters, as a spelling guide, al-co-hol-ic.
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