Are you looking for a helpful resource to enhance your child’s reading skills? We’ve created a FREE open-syllable word lists that will make your life as a teacher and homeschooling parent a little easier. Help kids learn to decode new words quicker and more easily by teaching them about syllables for kids! There are both open and closed syllable words. In this post we will talk about open syllable words. Use the open syllables list to teach kindergarten or first grade students. 
Open Syllable Word Lists
Don’t worry if you are unfamiliar with the term open syllables. We’re here to make it simple and fun. We’ll give you all the information you need. Open syllables are very common, so they are important to learn. They may not seem that fun, but we can’t ignore their importance. As kids learn about open syllables, they become better readers, which we all want. Our open syllable word list contains 138 words, neatly organized into charts for convenience. With this resource, you’ll have everything you need to help your child master open syllables and unlock a world of reading possibilities. Before you know it, you’ll spot open syllables everywhere.
So, let’s dive right in and explore these open syllable words examples together. Get ready to witness your kindergartners and grde 1 students reading confidence soar as they conquer open syllables and embark on an exciting literary adventure.
Learn about the 6 syllable types and then dive in with words lists, game, and activities ideas for closed syllable words list with activity ideas, open syllable words, and Magic e words!
What Are Syllables and Why Teach Them?
This is the second post in our series of word lists for the different syllable types. In brief, syllables are the individual sounds that make up words when we speak. They always include a vowel sound and are often combined with consonants. Think of syllables as the “beats” that give words their rhythm and structure. Each syllable adds to the overall sound and flow of a word.
We teach syllables for many reasons.
- Firstly teaching syllables is important for reading because over 80% of English words have more than one syllable.
- Identifying and reading syllables helps children decode new words more easily by breaking them into smaller, manageable parts.
- Without a strategy for breaking down words, children may feel overwhelmed and resort to guessing or skipping unfamiliar words.
- Furthermore, breaking words into syllables reduces reading fatigue and makes long words less intimidating for young readers.
- Lastly, syllable awareness improves spelling accuracy as it is easier to think about words in terms of syllables rather than individual letters.
**Read our guide for parents to learn more about the types of syllables.
Open Syllables
Now let’s focus on open syllables in detail! Don’t worry if you are unfamiliar with the term. We’re here to make it simple and fun. Our fantastic printable includes 138 words that all possess an open syllable. You will enjoy discovering these with your child. Before you know it, you’ll spot open syllables everywhere. Let’s jump in, shall we?
Definition of Open Syllables
An open syllable is a syllable that ends in a vowel. The vowel in an open syllable is usually pronounced with a long sound, meaning it says its name. For example, in the word pro/gram, the first syllable, “pro,” is an open syllable.
Teaching Open Syllables
Open syllables are very common in the English language. So, it is vital to introduce them to your child.
The study of open syllables should come along with or shortly after you’ve tackled closed syllables. This sequence in learning creates a strong foundation and builds your child’s confidence in recognizing and pronouncing different syllable types.
Ideally, children should start learning these concepts around the 1st grade. But don’t worry if your child is older than that. It is never too late to start, especially if your child is still grappling with reading multisyllabic words. The important thing is to make the learning process enjoyable and engaging. And remember, every step forward, no matter how small, is a victory in the wonderful journey of learning to read!
****Do you need to go back and focus on closed syllables? Check out our post here.
Open Syllables List
You’ll love our specially curated open-syllable word lists available below. Our free printable features 6 pages of word lists. The first page organizes words by vowels, making recognizing patterns and understanding open syllables easier.
The second and third pages reproduce the first chart in a larger format. They can be taped together to create a poster for your learning space.
The third, fourth, and fifth pages go a step further and list words by the number of syllables they contain. This unique, structured approach makes progressing from simpler to more complex words easy.
Open Syllable Words Examples
Our first chart lists words sorted by vowel sound. As open syllables end with vowels, we thought having a chart that featured words using each vowel would be helpful.
- Vowel sound A: Am/er/ica, ba/na/na, so/fa, piz/za, pan/da, ze/bra, me/dia, da/ta, yo/ga, dra/ma, op/era, la/va, sau/na, ko/ala, flo/ra.
- Words with vowel sound E: re/act, de/mon, mu/se/um, be, ze/bra, female, he, re/cy/cle, ar/ea, me/ter, de/pot, ce/dar, se/cret, be/ing, legal, eve/ning
- Moving onto vowel I: bi/cy/cle, ti/ny, spi/der, di/a/gram, tri/an/gle, cli/mate, va/ri/e/ty, di/no/saur, gi/ant, ri/fle, li/on, ti/tle, gi/ant, qui/et, si/lent, pi/lot.
- Vowel Sound O: to/ma/to, al/so, bro/ken, ra/dio, o/bey, pi/a/no, ago, to/tal, car/go, echo, mo/ment, so, pro/gram, he/ro, ze/ro, po/em.
- Words with vowel sound U: mu/se/um, hu/mid, fu/ner/al, un/usu/al, com/mu/ni/ty, bu/gle, hum/mor, fu/ture, mu/sic, fu/gi/tive, hu/man, com/mu/ni/cate, cubic, pu/pil, usu/al, fu/el.
- Words with an open syllable Y –The letter Y is a bit unusual. It can make different sounds depending on where it appears in a word. When “y” is at the end of a one-syllable word, it often sounds like a long “I,” as in words like cry, fry, and try. However, in two-syllable words, when “y” is at the end, it usually makes a long “e” sound, like in words such as baby and city. Here are the words: sky, cry, shy, my, sli/my, why, fly, dry, try, dry, baby, forty, po/ny, can/dy, sun/ny, noi/sy
Words with 1 syllable
Our next chart features 16 words, each with one open syllable. Not many words fit into this category, but we found 16.
- Words with 1 syllable: Fry, hi, she, no, dry, she, we, he, so, be, go, hi, I, flu, sky, why
Words with 2 syllables
Moving on to words with two syllables. We found a few words with two open syllables, but most of our words combined a closed and open syllable to make the word.
- Words with 2 syllables: ba/con, be/gan, bu/gle, e/vil, a/go, bro/ken, mu/sic, po/ker, pu/pil, car/go, hu/man, ze/bra, o/ver, re/peat, so/lo, ri/val.
Words with 3 syllables
Get ready to explore our last word chart! It includes 16 words, each with three syllables. These are harder to read and will provide lots of practice decoding longer words by breaking them into smaller, manageable parts.
- Words with 3 syllables: bi/cy/cle, un/usu/al, di/no/saur, ro/de/o, vol/ca/no, di/a/gram, to/ma/to, re/la/tion, mu/se/um, mu/si/cian, fu/gi/tive, re/cy/cle, ra/di/o, pi/an/o, vi/ol/in, po/ta/to.
Open syllable examples
Create Games
- Create a syllable game: Turn learning into fun by sorting words based on syllables or short vowel sounds.
- Open and closed syllable sort: Download the word lists for closed syllables. Cut apart the words in the 1-syllable charts. Invite children to sort them into words with open and closed syllables.
- Syllable Hunt: Make a syllable hunt game where children have to find words with a specific number of syllables.
- Play a matching game with two-syllable words: Write the first and second syllables on separate index cards, shuffle them, and have children match them to create words.
Other Ideas
- Practice writing: Encourage children to choose words and use them in sentences to improve their writing skills and understanding of the words.
- Create a word wall: Use the word lists to create a word wall at home, helping children with reading and spelling skills.
- Create a phonic notebook: Invite children to choose words, cut them out, and glue or staple them into their own phonic notebooks while illustrating them.
- Make a Word Search: Choose various words from the word lists. Type them in a string, with each word separated by commas. Then copy and paste your list into this Word Search Puzzle Maker.
- Word Bingo: The free printable contains a 4 x4 table that is editable. Fill the table with words and print out a copy for each player. You can also create a different table for each child. Children can take turns reading one word aloud and cover it with a bingo chip. The first person to make a row wins. Change the game by asking kids to find a word’s open syllable or identify the number of syllables.
Obviously, these are just a few ideas to get you started. I’m sure you can come up with your own games and activities. Above all, keep learning fun and engaging.
Open Syllable Words
In conclusion, learning about open syllables will help young readers identify and decode words more easily. This article’s free printable of open syllable word lists is a valuable resource. It will help you incorporate games, sorting, writing practice, and creative exercises to make learning enjoyable and effective. So why wait? Download the open syllable word lists today and start empowering your children with the skills they need for success in reading!
Free Printable Syllable Worksheets and Activities
First students learn to count the syllables in a word. Try putting your hand under your chin and say the word, the number of times your jaw drops is the number of syllables. Here are some syllable activities to learn to count the number of syllables.
- 20 Fun and Clever Syllable Games
- Syllable Counter Activity with stickers (or free printable) and hole punch
- Free Printable Winter Syllables Activity
- Fall Syllable Clip Cards
Now let’s dig a little deaper int othe six types of syllables- a closed syllable ends in a consonant, an open syllable ends in a vowel, a vowel-consonant-e syllable is typically found at the end of a word, a vowel team syllable has two vowels next to each other that together say a new sound, a consonant+le syllable is found in words like handle, puzzle, and middle, and an r-controlled syllable contains a vowel followed by the letter r. Here are ways to learn all 6 syllable types.
- OPEN AND CLOSED SYLLABLE – Free open syllables list, examples, worksheets, and games, closed syllable words printable lists, games, Free Open and closed syllables worksheets or this egg open syllable activities, and Closed Syllable Words lists with examples
- VOWEL-CONSONANT-E – Vowel consonant e worksheets, magic e worksheets, free cvce worksheets
- VOWEL TEAMS– Handy Vowel Teams Lists, Cute Vowel team flashcards, OA vowel team worksheets, robot ea vowel team activity, turkey au aw words, long e games BINGO, ai word for kids game, snowman oi words for kids, vowel team and long u words clip cards, pumpkin ou words memory cards, ow sound words sliders, and oi and oy worksheets
- CONSONANT + LE SYLLABLE Chutes and Ladder Consonant le syllable game, free final stable syllable worksheets, and Consonant LE word list
- R-CONTROLLED SYLLABLE – R Controlled Syllable Word Lists, free R controlled vowels worksheets, R controlled vowels activity, Snowman r controlled syllable activity, build-a-flower r-controlled vowel sort, Tic-Tac-Toe r controlled vowel games printable, car AR phonics games, and 5-in-a-Row R Controlled Vowels Games
- Silent E Word list – free printable for learning about the magic e
- v cv vc v Syllable worksheets
Phonics Games
Start with our guide on how to teach phonics step-by-step. Grab these handy blends and digraphs charts, beginning consonant blends charts, or final consonant blends charts. Then take a peak at these fun, free phonics activities for early readers!
- final stable syllable, Free Schwa Games for working on reading and spelling
- Fall ou words for kids activity, Blends and Digraphs Charts
- Sh Worksheets and ch worksheets for kindergarten and first graders, plus Hard c and Soft c games, and more practice with sh ch sounds free worksheet pages
- Long e spelled with ey words Turkey game
- Long u words and other long vowel clip cards and sion words puzzle printables for grade 1
- r controlled vowel games printable or this 5-in-a-row r-controlled vowel games or cut and paste r-controlled vowels worksheets
- Schwa Spelling ov and oth Game
- 1:1:1 Doubling rule worksheets pdf and Irregular Vowels Printable Activity or Free EA vowel team activity, ph or f worksheet
- nk words clip card activity and free printable consonant le worksheets or Dot marker trigraph worksheets for students, air sound words game
- OU and OW words printable game and er activities for first graders or cut and Paste short u worksheets (freebie!), plus reading y as short i words game
- TH digraph activities for second grade and 1st graders
- Bossy e worksheets and First grade blends worksheets
- Beginning blends games free printable or these Ice Cream puzzles with digraph blends
- Free Printable Digraph Bingo, printable ch, sh, th worksheets, or cute dipthong games
- Figurative Language Practice with simile and metaphor worksheets
- Baseball Schwa Sound Game
- Don’t miss our 3000+ language arts worksheets or our 5000+ 1st grade worksheets
Open syllable worksheet
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