How Many Syllables In Police?
2syllables
Police has 2 syllables, po-lice. It is a disyllabic word.
police
/pəˈliːs/ UK /pəˈliːs/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the second syllable, lice.
Syllable Structure
CV/CVC
Division By Sound
/pə.liːs/
Division By Letters
po-lice
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Police
S syllable, O onset, R rime, P peak, C coda, Ø no coda.
Parts Of Each Syllable
| Syllable | Onset | Peak | Coda | Pattern | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | p | ə | – | CV | open |
| 2 primary stress | l | iː | s | CVC | closed |
Why Police Divides Here
- Between syllables 1 and 2, /l/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in police?
Police has 2 syllables, po-lice. In British English it is transcribed /pəˈliːs/.
Which syllable is stressed in police?
The second syllable, lice, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of police?
Police has the structure CV/CVC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide police into syllables?
By sound, pə.liːs. By letters, as a spelling guide, po-lice.