Here's why:
* Open Syllable: A syllable that ends with a vowel sound.
* Closed Syllable: A syllable that ends with a consonant sound.
Let's break down the word:
* u-ti-lize
The first syllable, "u", is an open syllable because it ends with the vowel sound "u".
The remaining syllables, "ti" and "lize", are closed syllables because they end with the consonant sounds "t" and "z", respectively.