Which syllable type is characterized by having a vowel followed by a consonant?

The correct answer is a closed syllable. A closed syllable is defined as a syllable that ends with a consonant, which effectively "closes" the vowel sound within that syllable. This structure typically leads to a short vowel sound, as the vowel is immediately followed by a consonant. For example, the word "cat" consists of a closed syllable because the vowel 'a' is followed by the consonant 't.' This contrasts with open syllables, where the vowel is at the end and is usually pronounced with a longer sound, as in "go."

Vowel-r syllables change the quality of the vowel sound due to the influence of the 'r,' while vowel-v syllables involve combinations of vowels that do not fit the closed structure. Thus, recognizing the characteristics of closed syllables is essential in understanding the overall dynamics of phonics and syllable types in multi-sensory structured language education.