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