syllables counting?

I always say cycling as two: sigh-cling

Politically usually has four for me: poe-lit-ick-lee. But it can have five: poe-lit-ih-cuh-lee.

Other speakers may have different breakdowns.

Grammar GeekPolitically usually has four for me: poe-lit-ick-lee. But it can have five: poe-lit-ih-cuh-lee.

Hi Barb,
do you really say the first syllable as p-owe instead of puh?

I think I say it both ways! But you're right, 'puh' is much closer than 'poe.'

Hi there,

Cycling has 2 syllables. Cy-cling. When you are reading english, try and break down the words (and then connect them) as much as you can so that you can improve your pronounciation.

Cheers

Grammar GeekI think I say it both ways! But you're right, 'puh' is much closer than 'poe.'Hmm, that's interesting! Merriam Webster doesn't list the pronunciation with "p-owe"... maybe you tend to use a kind of "half-tense owe". I found out it exists. It seems you can hear something like that in words like "hydrocrarbon" or other words that have a prefix ending in "o". Tha

In ordinary speech, all -ically endings have two syllables: ik and lee. (AmE)

CJ