Watch the Video

Chop the Syllables!

Click the gap where the syllable boundary goes.
Remember: count back 3 from the end, then CHOP!

Word 1 of 10

🐄 cattle

The Rule

THE CONSONANT-LE SYLLABLE TYPE
consonant + LE count back 3 CHOP!

The Consonant-LE syllable type occurs when a word ends in a consonant followed by -LE. It forms a final, unaccented syllable that produces the /əl/ schwa sound — as in cat·tle, peb·ble, and ea·gle.

Use this three-step strategy to decode any Consonant-LE word:

  1. Identify the Consonant-LE ending. Does the word end in a consonant followed by -LE?

  2. Count back 3 letters from the end to find the syllable boundary, then divide. The split always falls 3 letters before the end.

  3. Analyse the first syllable. Does it end in a vowel (open syllable → long vowel sound) or a consonant (closed syllable → short vowel sound)?

cat·tle (closed) a·ble (open) ea·gle (open) pud·dle (closed) nee·dle (open) tur·tle (closed)

Spelling List

Consonant-LE words for Grades 2–3. Download the list as a Word document or PDF to print and use in class.

1cattle
2pebble
3giggle
4waddle
5puddle
6able
7needle
8eagle
9cable
10turtle
11table
12bottle
13candle
14middle
15simple

Download counts shown are for your current browser only. For full analytics, use a link tracker such as bit.ly.

Song Lyrics

(Does it end in?)

Consonant LE
Count back 3
1 2 3 CHOP!
Sing with me

cat-tle cattle — peb-ble pebble — gig-gle giggle

wad-dle waddle — pud-dle puddle — a-ble able

nee-dle needle — ea-gle eagle — ca-ble cable — tur-tle turtle