North Carolina Foundations of Reading Practice Test

Which type of syllable is NOT included in the list of syllable types given?

1. Closed

2. Open

3. Silent e

4. Compound

The correct answer is: Compound

The correct answer identifies compound syllables as not included in the list of standard syllable types. In phonics, the primary syllable types recognized are closed, open, and silent e syllables. Closed syllables have a vowel followed by one or more consonants, creating a syllable that closes off the vowel sound and typically results in a short vowel sound (e.g., "cat," "dog"). Open syllables end with a vowel that is not followed by a consonant, allowing for a long vowel sound (e.g., "he," "go"). Silent e syllables have a structure where a vowel is followed by a consonant and then an 'e,' which is not pronounced but signals that the preceding vowel has a long sound (e.g., "make," "bike"). In contrast, compound syllables refer to syllables formed from two independent words combined (like "basketball"). This concept does not fit within the standard categorization of syllable types focused on vowel sounds and their interactions with consonants. Thus, compound syllables are appropriately excluded from the list of the main syllable types mentioned.