Syllable type
Open syllable words
The answer
An open syllable ends in a vowel, with no consonant after it, so the vowel usually says its long sound: go, she, ro/bot, ti/ger. Our lexicon has 53 one-syllable open words and 202 two-syllable words with an open syllable, shown divided.
How does it work?
Open syllables explain why "he" and "hen" sound different. Nothing closes the e in "he", so it says its name. One-syllable open words are few, and our list shows it: most are tiny words like go, hi and she. The type matters far more in longer words, where an open first syllable is the reason robot reads ro/bot and not rob/ot. That is also where students make the most errors, because a single consonant between two vowels can split either way.
The word lists, divided
One-syllable open words
| Word | Spelling units | Readable after |
|---|---|---|
| a | a | Lesson 1 (heart word) |
| i | i | Lesson 68 |
| be | b·e | Lesson 68 |
| by | b·y | Lesson 73 |
| do | d·o | Lesson 13 (heart word) |
| go | g·o | Lesson 68 |
| he | h·e | Lesson 68 |
| me | m·e | Lesson 68 |
| my | m·y | Lesson 73 |
| no | n·o | Lesson 68 |
| oh | o·h | not taught |
| pi | p·i | Lesson 68 |
| re | r·e | Lesson 68 |
| so | s·o | Lesson 68 |
| to | t·o | Lesson 62 |
| we | w·e | Lesson 68 |
| cry | c·r·y | Lesson 73 |
| dry | d·r·y | Lesson 73 |
| fly | f·l·y | Lesson 73 |
| fry | f·r·y | Lesson 73 |
| guy | gu·y | not taught |
| raw | r·a·w | not taught |
| she | sh·e | Lesson 68 |
| the | th·e | Lesson 1 (heart word) |
| try | t·r·y | Lesson 73 |
| two | t·w·o | Lesson 22 (heart word) |
| who | wh·o | Lesson 28 (heart word) |
| why | wh·y | Lesson 73 |
| eh | e·h | not taught |
| ha | h·a | Lesson 94 |
| huh | h·u·h | not taught |
| pro | p·r·o | Lesson 68 |
| shy | sh·y | Lesson 73 |
| sky | s·k·y | Lesson 73 |
| spy | s·p·y | Lesson 73 |
| thy | th·y | Lesson 73 |
| ah | a·h | not taught |
| hi | h·i | Lesson 68 |
| ma | m·a | Lesson 94 |
| mu | m·u | Lesson 68 |
| pa | p·a | Lesson 94 |
| chi | ch·i | Lesson 118 |
| flu | f·l·u | Lesson 68 |
| fro | f·r·o | Lesson 68 |
| gnu | gn·u | Lesson 118 |
| ply | p·l·y | Lesson 73 |
| pry | p·r·y | Lesson 73 |
| qua | qu·a | Lesson 94 |
| ski | s·k·i | not taught |
| sly | s·l·y | Lesson 73 |
| spa | s·p·a | Lesson 94 |
| wry | wr·y | Lesson 98 |
| spry | s·p·r·y | Lesson 73 |
Two syllables, both open
| Word | Divided | Readable after |
|---|---|---|
| via | vi/a (open + open) | Lesson 68 |
| duty | du/ty (open + open) | Lesson 74 |
| lazy | la/zy (open + open) | Lesson 74 |
| truly | tru/ly (open + open) | Lesson 74 |
| ego | e/go (open + open) | Lesson 68 |
| beta | be/ta (open + open) | not taught |
| duly | du/ly (open + open) | Lesson 74 |
| logo | lo/go (open + open) | Lesson 68 |
| solo | so/lo (open + open) | Lesson 68 |
| tiny | ti/ny (open + open) | Lesson 74 |
| photo | pho/to (open + open) | Lesson 68 |
| quota | quo/ta (open + open) | Lesson 68 |
| redo | re/do (open + open) | not taught |
| pony | po/ny (open + open) | Lesson 74 |
Open first syllable
| Word | Divided | Readable after |
|---|---|---|
| able | a/ble (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 75 |
| even | e/ven (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| item | i/tem (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| obey | o/bey (open + vowel team) | Lesson 114 |
| omit | o/mit (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| open | o/pen (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| over | o/ver (open + r-controlled) | Lesson 80 |
| poem | po/em (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| poet | po/et (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| unit | u/nit (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| user | u/ser (open + r-controlled) | Lesson 80 |
| basic | ba/sic (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| basis | ba/sis (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| chaos | cha/os (open + closed) | Lesson 118 |
| cycle | cy/cle (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 117 |
| fatal | fa/tal (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| final | fi/nal (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| hotel | ho/tel (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| human | hu/man (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| ideal | i/deal (open + vowel team) | Lesson 85 |
| label | la/bel (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| legal | le/gal (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| local | lo/cal (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| movie | mo/vie (open + vowel team) | not taught |
| music | mu/sic (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| paper | pa/per (open + r-controlled) | Lesson 80 |
| quiet | qui/et (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| table | ta/ble (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 75 |
| taken | ta/ken (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| title | ti/tle (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 75 |
| token | to/ken (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| total | to/tal (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| trial | tri/al (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| unite | u/nite (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| vital | vi/tal (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| became | be/came (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| broken | bro/ken (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| chosen | cho/sen (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| crisis | cri/sis (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| decent | de/cent (open + closed) | Lesson 117 |
| domain | do/main (open + vowel team) | Lesson 84 |
| famous | fa/mous (open + vowel team) | not taught |
| finite | fi/nite (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| global | glo/bal (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| minute | mi/nute (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| moment | mo/ment (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| recent | re/cent (open + closed) | Lesson 117 |
| region | re/gion (open + closed) | not taught |
| social | so/cial (open + closed) | Lesson 119 |
| spoken | spo/ken (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| stable | sta/ble (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 75 |
| stupid | stu/pid (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| patient | pa/tient (open + closed) | Lesson 119 |
| protest | pro/test (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| student | stu/dent (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| ion | i/on (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| bias | bi/as (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| dial | di/al (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| diet | di/et (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| dual | du/al (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| evil | e/vil (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| icon | i/con (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| idle | i/dle (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 75 |
| lion | li/on (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| onus | o/nus (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| opus | o/pus (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| riot | ri/ot (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| ruin | ru/in (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| agent | a/gent (open + closed) | Lesson 117 |
| bible | bi/ble (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 75 |
| bogus | bo/gus (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| bonus | bo/nus (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| cable | ca/ble (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 75 |
| cater | ca/ter (open + r-controlled) | Lesson 80 |
| cider | ci/der (open + r-controlled) | Lesson 117 |
| colon | co/lon (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| cubic | cu/bic (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| debug | de/bug (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| fever | fe/ver (open + r-controlled) | Lesson 80 |
| fluid | flu/id (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| focus | fo/cus (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| giant | gi/ant (open + closed) | Lesson 117 |
| laser | la/ser (open + r-controlled) | Lesson 80 |
| libel | li/bel (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| minus | mi/nus (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| noble | no/ble (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 75 |
| ozone | o/zone (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| pilot | pi/lot (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| pupil | pu/pil (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| rival | ri/val (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| robot | ro/bot (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| roman | ro/man (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| sober | so/ber (open + r-controlled) | Lesson 80 |
| super | su/per (open + r-controlled) | Lesson 80 |
| tiger | ti/ger (open + r-controlled) | Lesson 80 |
| vocal | vo/cal (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| woken | wo/ken (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| brutal | bru/tal (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| client | cli/ent (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| defect | de/fect (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| digest | di/gest (open + closed) | Lesson 117 |
| donate | do/nate (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| female | fe/male (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| fluent | flu/ent (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| frozen | fro/zen (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| humane | hu/mane (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| hyphen | hy/phen (open + closed) | Lesson 73 |
| lethal | le/thal (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| locate | lo/cate (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| proven | pro/ven (open + closed) | not taught |
| python | py/thon (open + closed) | Lesson 73 |
| racial | ra/cial (open + closed) | Lesson 119 |
| robust | ro/bust (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| rotate | ro/tate (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| shaken | sha/ken (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| silent | si/lent (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| slogan | slo/gan (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| stolen | sto/len (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| thesis | the/sis (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| trifle | tri/fle (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 75 |
| triple | tri/ple (open + consonant-le) | Lesson 75 |
| blatant | bla/tant (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| crucial | cru/cial (open + closed) | Lesson 119 |
| profile | pro/file (open + silent e) | Lesson 68 |
| pronoun | pro/noun (open + vowel team) | Lesson 96 |
| protein | pro/tein (open + vowel team) | not taught |
| spatial | spa/tial (open + closed) | Lesson 119 |
| species | spe/cies (open + closed) | Lesson 119 |
| triumph | tri/umph (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| profound | pro/found (open + vowel team) | Lesson 96 |
| nomad | no/mad (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| beheld | be/held (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
| hijack | hi/jack (open + closed) | Lesson 68 |
Open second syllable
| Word | Divided | Readable after |
|---|---|---|
| any | an/y (closed + open) | Lesson 32 (heart word) |
| also | al/so (closed + open) | Lesson 93 |
| body | bod/y (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| busy | bus/y (closed + open) | not taught |
| city | cit/y (closed + open) | Lesson 117 |
| data | dat/a (closed + open) | Lesson 67b |
| info | in/fo (closed + open) | Lesson 68 |
| many | man/y (closed + open) | Lesson 32 (heart word) |
| only | on/ly (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| onto | on/to (closed + open) | not taught |
| ugly | ug/ly (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| angry | an/gry (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| ditto | dit/to (closed + open) | Lesson 68 |
| empty | emp/ty (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| entry | en/try (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| extra | ex/tra (closed + open) | Lesson 67b |
| fancy | fan/cy (closed + open) | Lesson 117 |
| happy | hap/py (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| hello | hel/lo (closed + open) | Lesson 68 |
| imply | im/ply (closed + open) | Lesson 73 |
| nasty | nas/ty (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| plenty | plen/ty (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| pretty | pret/ty (closed + open) | not taught |
| simply | sim/ply (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| twenty | twen/ty (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| ally | al/ly (closed + open) | Lesson 73 |
| echo | ech/o (closed + open) | Lesson 118 |
| envy | en/vy (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| menu | men/u (closed + open) | Lesson 68 |
| saga | sag/a (closed + open) | Lesson 94 |
| undo | un/do (closed + open) | not taught |
| unto | un/to (closed + open) | not taught |
| yeti | yet/i (closed + open) | not taught |
| alpha | al/pha (closed + open) | Lesson 67b |
| comma | com/ma (closed + open) | Lesson 67b |
| delta | del/ta (closed + open) | Lesson 67b |
| disco | dis/co (closed + open) | Lesson 68 |
| dogma | dog/ma (closed + open) | Lesson 67b |
| drama | dram/a (closed + open) | Lesson 94 |
| dummy | dum/my (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| fifty | fif/ty (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| hobby | hob/by (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| jolly | jol/ly (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| metro | met/ro (closed + open) | Lesson 68 |
| motto | mot/to (closed + open) | Lesson 68 |
| sigma | sig/ma (closed + open) | Lesson 67b |
| sixty | six/ty (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| ballet | bal/let (closed + open) | not taught |
| clumsy | clum/sy (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| humbly | hum/bly (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| hungry | hun/gry (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| sundry | sun/dry (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
| wholly | whol/ly (closed + open) | not taught |
| ghastly | ghast/ly (closed + open) | Lesson 118 |
| candy | can/dy (closed + open) | Lesson 74 |
How do you teach it?
Contrast closed and open in pairs: "hi" and "hit", "go" and "got", "me" and "met". Students say what happens to the vowel when the consonant is added. Then show two-syllable words with an open first syllable and build the habit: try the first vowel long, and if the word doesn't sound right, try it short.
"Here's 'pilot'. Vowels: i and o. One consonant between them, l. Let's split before the l: pi/lot. The first syllable ends in i, so it's open. Long i. Then 'lot'. Pilot. Is that a word? Yes. We're done."
What is the common error, and the fix?
Students read "silent" as "sil-ent" and "music" as "muz-ic", closing a syllable that should be open. The fix is the flex routine: divide before the consonant (si/lent), read the first vowel long, and check whether that makes a real word.
Sort it: a hands-on activity
Write two-syllable words with one consonant between the vowels on cards (robot, cabin, tiger, lemon, music, wagon). Students draw the split line in pencil, read the first syllable long, then erase and move the line if the word sounds wrong. They sort into "open first" and "closed first".
How this list was built
Every word comes from our lexicon of about 19,000 common words, each checked against a pronouncing dictionary and split into spelling units. Words a student meets in our assessments and progress-monitoring probes are left out, so practicing a list never rehearses a test. The lexicon gives syllable counts but not boundaries, so each split is worked out from the consonant and vowel units between the first two vowel sounds, using a long or short first vowel to choose V/CV or VC/V, and checked by hand. Words where that method is unreliable are left out. Compound splits come from the two words that make up the compound.
"Readable after" is the first lesson in the lesson sequence at which our decodability engine finds every sound-spelling in the word taught; "not taught" means the word has a spelling the sequence does not cover, so it is read with help. You can check your own lists and passages with the free decodable text checker.
Questions people ask
What is an open syllable?
A syllable that ends with a vowel letter. With no consonant after it, the vowel usually says its long sound: me, go, ba/by.
Why are there so few one-syllable open words?
English has only a handful of short words that end in a single vowel letter: our public list has 53, like a, i, be, by, do. Most long vowels at the end of short words are spelled with a team instead (tree, play, show).
Is the y in baby an open syllable?
Yes. In ba/by both syllables are open: ba ends in a, and by ends in y acting as a vowel. Final y in a two-syllable word usually says long e.
How do I know if a word splits V/CV or VC/V?
You find out by trying. Read it V/CV first, with a long vowel. If the word sounds wrong, move the line after the consonant and read the vowel short.