Loading page
About this tool
Split English words into syllables and mark the stressed one using the standard suffix stress rules, for clearer speaking.
This tool breaks an English word into syllables and marks which one carries the primary stress, so a long word like in-for-MA-tion can be said in the right rhythm. Splitting follows the standard phonics rules — one vowel nucleus per syllable, a silent final e joins the syllable before it, VC-CV splits between two consonants while V-CV splits before one, and a final consonant plus le is its own syllable. Stress comes from the suffix rules taught in pronunciation courses, and every word is labelled as rule-based or an estimate so you know when to check a dictionary.
Open Pronunciation Syllable Splitter on AltFTool — it loads instantly in your browser.
Add your input to the workspace.
Adjust the options until the result looks right.
Copy or download the output and put it to work.
Marks the stressed syllable in capitals and in a dot-and-mark form like ˈin·for·ma·tion.
Every answer says which suffix rule fired, so you can apply it to the next word yourself.
Words with no stress-fixing suffix are labelled estimates instead of being presented as fact.
Count the vowel sounds, not the vowel letters: each syllable has exactly one. A silent final e adds no syllable (make is one syllable), and two vowel letters usually make one sound (boat, rain) unless they are a hiatus pair like the i and o in ra-di-o.
It depends mainly on the ending. Words ending in -tion, -sion, -ic, -ial and -ious stress the syllable immediately before the ending (in-for-MA-tion, e-LEC-tric). Words ending in -ity, -ify, -ate, -logy and -graphy stress the third syllable from the end (u-ni-VER-si-ty, bi-O-lo-gy). Endings like -ee, -eer, -ese and -esque take the stress themselves (en-gi-NEER, Jap-a-NESE).
Around 150 English word pairs shift stress with word class: a REC-ord but to re-CORD, a PRES-ent but to pre-SENT, an OB-ject but to ob-JECT. Nouns and adjectives usually take the first syllable, verbs the second, which is why this tool asks for the part of speech.
Not always. Dictionaries break words after the stressed vowel (pho·tog·ra·phy), while phonics teaching splits before a single consonant (pho-to-gra-phy). Both put the stress on the same vowel sound, which is what matters when you say the word. Treat any result labelled an estimate as a starting point, and confirm it with a dictionary recording.