How Many Syllables In Clinical?
3syllables
Clinical has 3 syllables, clin-i-cal. It is a trisyllabic word.
clinical
/ˈklɪn.ə.kəl/ UK /ˈklɪn.ə.kəl/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the first syllable, clin.
Syllable Structure
CCVC/V/CVC
Division By Sound
/klɪn.ə.kəl/
Division By Letters
clin-i-cal
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Clinical
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 | kl | ɪ | n | CCVC | closed |
| 2 | – | ə | – | V | open |
| 3 | k | ə | l | CVC | closed |
Why Clinical Divides Here
- Syllable 1 is stressed and has the short vowel /ɪ/, so it keeps a coda /n/.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /k/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in clinical?
Clinical has 3 syllables, clin-i-cal. In British English it is transcribed /ˈklɪn.ə.kəl/.
Which syllable is stressed in clinical?
The first syllable, clin, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of clinical?
Clinical has the structure CCVC/V/CVC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide clinical into syllables?
By sound, klɪn.ə.kəl. By letters, as a spelling guide, clin-i-cal.