How Many Syllables In Mercury?
3syllables
Mercury has 3 syllables, mer-cu-ry. It is a trisyllabic word.
mercury
/ˈmɜː.kjə.ri/ UK /ˈmɝː.kjə.ri/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the first syllable, mer.
Syllable Structure
CV/CCV/CV
Division By Sound
/mɜː.kjə.ri/
Division By Letters
mer-cu-ry
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Mercury
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 | m | ɜː | – | CV | open |
| 2 | kj | ə | – | CCV | open |
| 3 | r | i | – | CV | open |
Why Mercury Divides Here
- Between syllables 1 and 2, /kj/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /r/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in Mercury?
Mercury has 3 syllables, mer-cu-ry. In British English it is transcribed /ˈmɜː.kjə.ri/.
Which syllable is stressed in Mercury?
The first syllable, mer, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of Mercury?
Mercury has the structure CV/CCV/CV, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide Mercury into syllables?
By sound, mɜː.kjə.ri. By letters, as a spelling guide, mer-cu-ry.