How Many Syllables In Basketball?
3syllables
Basketball has 3 syllables, ba-sket-ball. It is a trisyllabic word.
basketball
/ˈbɑː.skɪt.bɔːl/ UK /ˈbæs.kɪt.bɔːl/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the first syllable, ba.
Syllable Structure
CV/CCVC/CVC
Division By Sound
/bɑː.skɪt.bɔːl/
Division By Letters
ba-sket-ball
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Basketball
S syllable, O onset, R rime, P peak, C coda, Ø no coda.
Parts Of Each Syllable
| Syllable | Onset | Peak | Coda | Pattern | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 primary stress | b | ɑː | – | CV | open |
| 2 | sk | ɪ | t | CCVC | closed |
| 3 | b | ɔː | l | CVC | closed |
Why Basketball Divides Here
- Between syllables 1 and 2, /sk/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /b/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in basketball?
Basketball has 3 syllables, ba-sket-ball. In British English it is transcribed /ˈbɑː.skɪt.bɔːl/.
Which syllable is stressed in basketball?
The first syllable, ba, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of basketball?
Basketball has the structure CV/CCVC/CVC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide basketball into syllables?
By sound, bɑː.skɪt.bɔːl. By letters, as a spelling guide, ba-sket-ball.