Which of the following is an example of an open syllable?

An open syllable occurs when a syllable ends with a vowel sound rather than a consonant, which typically results in the vowel being long. In the word "tulip," the first syllable "tu" is an open syllable because it ends with the vowel sound /u/, allowing it to be pronounced as a long vowel. This characteristic of an open syllable is crucial in understanding syllable structure and pronunciation in English phonetics.

In contrast, the other options contain syllables that end in consonants, making them closed syllables and resulting in short vowel sounds. For example, in "doctor," "doc" ends with a consonant, making it closed, while in "button" and "napkin," both words have syllables that end in consonants as well. Understanding these distinctions is important for practicing syllable division and phonemic awareness in literacy instruction.