Syllables

Closed syllables

A closed syllable ends in a consonant, which closes the vowel in and makes it short: cat, napkin, rabbit. It is the most common syllable type in English and the first one taught, because every CVC word a beginner reads is one.

Once a reader can spot closed syllables they can break two-syllable words apart reliably, which is the whole basis of decoding longer words.

Patterns and example words

Every word below is from the word list Cody generates from, not a hand-picked sample. The count is how many words in that list carry the pattern.

1 syllable closed

6,980 words

am is was and of in had has

2 syllable closed (VCCV)

7,995 words

willing cannot getting gotten thinking wanted wanting finding

2 syllable closed (VCV)

3,296 words

coming backing longest something living began begin begins

2 syllable closed (VCCCV)

2,252 words

children control controlled controls described improved address addressed

Curricula that teach this

Cody generates material against the scope and sequence you already teach. This skill appears in Cody Curriculum, Custom Pattern Selection, UFLI Inspired.

Make a decodable story for this skill

Cody generates stories, word lists and worksheets constrained to the patterns a student has already been taught, so practice on closed syllables does not smuggle in something they have not met yet.