How Many Syllables In Holiday?
3syllables
Holiday has 3 syllables, hol-i-day. It is a trisyllabic word.
holiday
/ˈhɒl.ə.deɪ/ UK /ˈhɑː.lə.deɪ/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the first syllable, hol.
Syllable Structure
CVC/V/CV
Division By Sound
/hɒl.ə.deɪ/
Division By Letters
hol-i-day
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Holiday
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 | h | ɒ | l | CVC | closed |
| 2 | – | ə | – | V | open |
| 3 | d | eɪ | – | CV | open |
Why Holiday Divides Here
- Syllable 1 is stressed and has the short vowel /ɒ/, so it keeps a coda /l/.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /d/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
Pronunciations
| Form | UK | US | Syllables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main | /ˈhɒl.ə.deɪ/ | /ˈhɑː.lə.deɪ/ | 3 |
| Also | /ˈhɒl.ɪ.deɪ/ | 3 |
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in holiday?
Holiday has 3 syllables, hol-i-day. In British English it is transcribed /ˈhɒl.ə.deɪ/.
Which syllable is stressed in holiday?
The first syllable, hol, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of holiday?
Holiday has the structure CVC/V/CV, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide holiday into syllables?
By sound, hɒl.ə.deɪ. By letters, as a spelling guide, hol-i-day.