What characterizes a closed syllable?

A closed syllable is characterized by the presence of a short vowel sound that is followed by one or more consonants. In this structure, the vowel is "closed in" by the consonants, which prevents it from being pronounced as a long vowel. For example, in the word "cat," the vowel "a" is followed by the consonant "t," creating a closed syllable that produces a short "a" sound.

This definition helps in understanding how syllables can influence pronunciation and reading skills, particularly for developing readers who benefit from recognizing patterns in word structures. Recognizing closed syllables is fundamental to decoding words effectively in early reading development.