CCVC

CCVC stands for consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant. It is a common syllable structure described in phonology and phonotactics, indicating that a syllable begins with two consecutive consonants, followed by a vowel nucleus and a single consonant coda. CCVC syllables are found in many languages, including English, though not all two-consonant onsets are equally permissible in every language.

In English, CCVC words are plentiful and often arise from stable onset clusters followed by a short vowel and a final consonant. Examples include plan, clap, trap, blot, glad, blip, frog, grain, and flank. These words demonstrate how two-consonant onsets can combine with a vowel to form a closed syllable structure. Spelling patterns may vary, and some CCVC words involve digraphs or clusters that produce a single phoneme, such as “sh” ending a coda or “bl” /“gl” onsets.

Phonotactic constraints govern which consonant pairs can appear together at the onset in a given language. While many languages allow a range of CC onsets (such as br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr, bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl), others restrict clusters or prefer certain types of consonants. The final consonant is typically a single phoneme, though spelling may reflect multiple letters.

In linguistic analysis and literacy instruction, CCVC is used to describe syllable shapes, compare language phonotactics, and teach decoding of words with two-consonant onsets. It is one of several common syllable templates that help categorize how sounds combine within syllables.