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