How Many Syllables In Federal?
3syllables
Federal has 3 syllables, fed-er-al. It is a trisyllabic word.
federal
/ˈfed.ər.əl/ UK /ˈfed.ɚ.əl/ US
Federal can also be said with 2 syllables (UK /ˈfed.rəl/).
Stress
The main stress falls on the first syllable, fed.
Syllable Structure
CVC/VC/VC
Division By Sound
/fed.ər.əl/
Division By Letters
fed-er-al
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Federal
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 | f | e | d | CVC | closed |
| 2 | – | ə | r | VC | closed |
| 3 | – | ə | l | VC | closed |
Why Federal Divides Here
- Syllable 1 is stressed and has the short vowel /e/, so it keeps a coda /d/.
- Syllable 2 ends in /r/ because the next syllable cannot take it as an onset here.
Pronunciations
| Form | UK | US | Syllables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main | /ˈfed.ər.əl/ | /ˈfed.ɚ.əl/ | 3 |
| Also | /ˈfed.rəl/ | 2 |
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in federal?
Federal has 3 syllables, fed-er-al. In British English it is transcribed /ˈfed.ər.əl/.
Which syllable is stressed in federal?
The first syllable, fed, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of federal?
Federal has the structure CVC/VC/VC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide federal into syllables?
By sound, fed.ər.əl. By letters, as a spelling guide, fed-er-al.