Syllable weight

Have you ever tried clapping along to a song or counting the beats in music? Well, words have beats too, and we call those beats syllables.
But not all syllables are the same. Some are heavy or long, and some are light or short.

We can feel the difference in syllables when we say them out loud. For example, when we say "cat," we only feel one beat or syllable. But when we say "elephant," we can feel two beats or syllables: e-le-phant. The second syllable 'phant' feels heavier or longer than the first two, 'e' and 'le'.

In English, syllable weight depends on the sounds in a word. Usually, if a syllable has a long vowel or ends in a consonant, it is considered a heavy syllable. If a syllable has a short vowel and ends in a vowel, it is considered a light syllable.

Why does this matter? Well, when we learn to read and spell, knowing the syllable weight can help us break down longer words into smaller pieces and figure out how to say them. It can also help us understand why some words rhyme and others don't.

So, next time you say a word, try feeling the beats or syllables and see if you notice any differences in weight or length.