Which consonants are cited as capable of forming syllables on their own, as in the endings of words like button and little?

• A. /n/ and /l/
• B. /p/ and /t/
• C. /s/ and /z/
• D. /m/ and /n/

Answer: (A)

Syllabic consonants can carry a syllable without a vowel. In English, /n/ and /l/ often become the nucleus of a syllable in certain positions. In button, the ending /n/ can form a small, separate syllable by itself (often transcribed with a syllabic n [n̩] in many dialects). In little, the final /l/ can likewise be syllabic in some pronunciations (as in [ˈlɪɾl̩]), so the consonants that can stand as syllables on their own here are /n/ and /l/. The other consonants listed don’t typically function as syllabic nuclei in these words, since they usually need a vowel to form a syllable.