How Many Syllables In Butterfly?
3syllables
Butterfly has 3 syllables, butt-er-fly. It is a trisyllabic word.
butterfly
/ˈbʌt.ə.flaɪ/ UK /ˈbʌt.ɚ.flaɪ/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the first syllable, butt.
Syllable Structure
CVC/V/CCV
Division By Sound
/bʌt.ə.flaɪ/
Division By Letters
butt-er-fly
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Butterfly
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 | b | ʌ | t | CVC | closed |
| 2 | – | ə | – | V | open |
| 3 | fl | aɪ | – | CCV | open |
Why Butterfly Divides Here
- Syllable 1 is stressed and has the short vowel /ʌ/, so it keeps a coda /t/.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /fl/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in butterfly?
Butterfly has 3 syllables, butt-er-fly. In British English it is transcribed /ˈbʌt.ə.flaɪ/.
Which syllable is stressed in butterfly?
The first syllable, butt, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of butterfly?
Butterfly has the structure CVC/V/CCV, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide butterfly into syllables?
By sound, bʌt.ə.flaɪ. By letters, as a spelling guide, butt-er-fly.