A syllable is a beat of sound in a word. The beat can sometimes be part of a word, or the whole word. For example 'window' has two beats ('win' – 'dow') but 'door' had just one ('door').

For example, the word bath has one beat or syllable ('bath'). The word because has two beats or syllables ('be' - 'cause'). The word beautiful has three beats or syllables ('beau' - 'ti' - 'ful').