How Many Syllables In Surgery?
3syllables
Surgery has 3 syllables, sur-ger-y. It is a trisyllabic word.
surgery
/ˈsɜː.dʒər.i/ UK /ˈsɝː.dʒɚ.i/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the first syllable, sur.
Syllable Structure
CV/CVC/V
Division By Sound
/sɜː.dʒər.i/
Division By Letters
sur-ger-y
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Surgery
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 | s | ɜː | – | CV | open |
| 2 | dʒ | ə | r | CVC | closed |
| 3 | – | i | – | V | open |
Why Surgery Divides Here
- Between syllables 1 and 2, /dʒ/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
- Syllable 2 ends in /r/ because the next syllable cannot take it as an onset here.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in surgery?
Surgery has 3 syllables, sur-ger-y. In British English it is transcribed /ˈsɜː.dʒər.i/.
Which syllable is stressed in surgery?
The first syllable, sur, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of surgery?
Surgery has the structure CV/CVC/V, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide surgery into syllables?
By sound, sɜː.dʒər.i. By letters, as a spelling guide, sur-ger-y.