How Many Syllables In Watermelon?
4syllables
Watermelon has 4 syllables, wa-ter-mel-on. It is a polysyllabic word.
watermelon
/ˈwɔː.tə.mel.ən/ UK /ˈwɔː.t̬ɚ.mel.ən/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the first syllable, wa.
Syllable Structure
CV/CV/CVC/VC
Division By Sound
/wɔː.tə.mel.ən/
Division By Letters
wa-ter-mel-on
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Watermelon
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 | w | ɔː | – | CV | open |
| 2 | t | ə | – | CV | open |
| 3 | m | e | l | CVC | closed |
| 4 | – | ə | n | VC | closed |
Why Watermelon Divides Here
- Between syllables 1 and 2, /t/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /m/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
- Syllable 3 ends in /l/ because the next syllable cannot take it as an onset here.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in watermelon?
Watermelon has 4 syllables, wa-ter-mel-on. In British English it is transcribed /ˈwɔː.tə.mel.ən/.
Which syllable is stressed in watermelon?
The first syllable, wa, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of watermelon?
Watermelon has the structure CV/CV/CVC/VC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide watermelon into syllables?
By sound, wɔː.tə.mel.ən. By letters, as a spelling guide, wa-ter-mel-on.