cour - te - ous
There are many reasons to learn how to divide courteous into syllables. Separating a word like courteous into syllables is mainly to make it easier to read and pronounce. The syllable is the smallest sound unit in a word, and the separation of the courteous into syllables allows speakers to better segment and emphasize each sound unit.
Knowing how to separate courteous into syllables can be especially useful for those learning to read and write, because it helps them understand and pronounce courteous more accurately. Furthermore, separating courteous into syllables can also be useful in teaching grammar and spelling, as it allows students to more easily understand and apply the rules of accentuation and syllable division.
In the case of the word courteous, we find that when separating into syllables the resulting number of syllables is 3. With this in mind, it's much easier to learn how to pronounce courteous, as we can focus on perfecting the syllabic pronunciation before trying to pronounce courteous in full or within a sentence. Likewise, this breakdown of courteous into syllables makes it easier for us to remember how to write it.