How Many Syllables In Employee?
3syllables
Employee has 3 syllables, em-plo-yee. It is a trisyllabic word.
employee
/ɪmˈplɔɪ.iː/ UK /ɪmˈplɔɪ.iː/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the second syllable, plo.
Syllable Structure
VC/CCV/V
Division By Sound
/ɪm.plɔɪ.iː/
Division By Letters
em-plo-yee
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Employee
S syllable, O onset, R rime, P peak, C coda, Ø no coda.
Parts Of Each Syllable
| Syllable | Onset | Peak | Coda | Pattern | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | ɪ | m | VC | closed |
| 2 primary stress | pl | ɔɪ | – | CCV | open |
| 3 | – | iː | – | V | open |
Why Employee Divides Here
- Between syllables 1 and 2, /pl/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
- Two vowels meet between syllables 2 and 3, so syllable 3 has no onset.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in employee?
Employee has 3 syllables, em-plo-yee. In British English it is transcribed /ɪmˈplɔɪ.iː/.
Which syllable is stressed in employee?
The second syllable, plo, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of employee?
Employee has the structure VC/CCV/V, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide employee into syllables?
By sound, ɪm.plɔɪ.iː. By letters, as a spelling guide, em-plo-yee.