• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.67-87
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• 2004

The purpose of this paper is to show how the coda of a syllable and word-final clusters are represented in the English syllable structure. Previous theories on the syllable assume that there is only one segment in the coda position. And, as we know, the theories that license only one segment in the coda make it difficult to syllabicate the word-final cluster appropriately when more than two segments in the word-final cluster are encountered. I considered three approaches: the previous syllable structure (Selkirk, 1982; Borowsky 1989), sonority sequencing (Giegerich, 1992; Roca, 1999) and feature analysis (Goldsmith, 1990), But, all the considered methods don't give us a satisfactory explanation regarding word-final clusters. Finally, I will suggest a modified syllable representation as an alternative by placing two different appendixes under the Phonological Word which forms a constituent above the syllable node. From this it is possible to explain the former problematic word-final clusters including morphological information asan inflectional suffix in the structure.