Open vs Closed Syllables Cheat Sheet (PDF)

A one-page test for reading longer words: does the syllable end in a consonant (short vowel) or a vowel (long vowel)?

What’s inside

• Closed syllable — short vowel, ends in a consonant: cat, rab-bit, nap-kin, mag-net.
• Open syllable — long vowel, ends in the vowel: hi, ba-by, ti-ger, mu-sic.
• The VCV rule: try the open split first (ti-ger), but check the word — pa-per is open, lem-on is closed.

How to use it

1. Show one closed and one open example side by side.
2. With a new two-syllable word, draw a line where the syllables split.
3. Decide if the first syllable is open or closed and read it.
4. If it doesn't sound like a real word, try the other split.

Who it’s for

Ages 7–9, once single-syllable decoding is solid.

Where it fits: Stage 5 — Vowel Teams & Tricky Words

Goes well with

• The 6 Syllable Types: Closed, Open, Magic-E, Vowel Team, R-Controlled, C+le
• Syllable Division worksheet