A syllable is a unit of sound within a word that contains no interruption. For example, the word "dog" has one syllable. The word "computer" has three syllables, consisting of com-put-er. It is often hard to know where to start and stop a syllable and therefore students are taught rules of syllabication.
When words have two consonants together that are in between two vowels, the syllables are divided between the two consonants. For example, the word "plastic" is divided between the s and the t, making it plas-tic. Another example is "market." This word is divided into two syllables between the r and the k, making it mar-ket.
Words that contain a consonant between two vowels are separated after the first vowel. Some examples of this syllabication rule are with the words "laser" and "bonus." "Laser" is divided after the a making it la-ser and the word bonus is divided into bo-nus. Sometimes this rule makes the syllables sound awkward. If this is the case, such as with the words "dozen" or "method," separate the syllables after the consonant. "Dozen" is written doz-en and "method" is meth-od.
When words contain two vowels together that do not make a long vowel sound, then divide the words into syllables between the two vowels. For example, the word "chaos" is divided into syllables between the a and the o, making the word cha-os.
Words that have a prefix or suffix added are divided between the prefix or suffix. For example, the word "jump" turns into "jumping" when the suffix "-ing" is added. The word is separated into syllables between the word and the suffix.