What characterizes an open syllable?

An open syllable is characterized by ending in a vowel sound. In linguistic terms, an open syllable is one that does not have a consonant closing it off. This means that the vowel in an open syllable typically has a long sound because it is not followed by a consonant. For example, in the word "me," the syllable "me" is open because it ends in the vowel "e."

On the other hand, a closed syllable, by contrast, ends with a consonant and often includes a short vowel sound, as seen in words like "cat" or "jump." The distinction between open and closed syllables is crucial in understanding phonetic patterns, which can significantly influence reading and spelling skills.

The other options do not capture the essence of what an open syllable is, as one can have open syllables that are not just single letters, and while a syllable can contain both consonants and vowels, it does not define whether the syllable itself is open.