How Many Syllables In Waterfall?
3syllables
Waterfall has 3 syllables, wa-ter-fall. It is a trisyllabic word.
waterfall
/ˈwɔː.tə.fɔːl/ UK /ˈwɔː.t̬ɚ.fɔːl/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the first syllable, wa.
Syllable Structure
CV/CV/CVC
Division By Sound
/wɔː.tə.fɔːl/
Division By Letters
wa-ter-fall
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Waterfall
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 | w | ɔː | – | CV | open |
| 2 | t | ə | – | CV | open |
| 3 | f | ɔː | l | CVC | closed |
Why Waterfall Divides Here
- Between syllables 1 and 2, /t/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /f/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in waterfall?
Waterfall has 3 syllables, wa-ter-fall. In British English it is transcribed /ˈwɔː.tə.fɔːl/.
Which syllable is stressed in waterfall?
The first syllable, wa, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of waterfall?
Waterfall has the structure CV/CV/CVC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide waterfall into syllables?
By sound, wɔː.tə.fɔːl. By letters, as a spelling guide, wa-ter-fall.