Consonant Blends
Learn
What are Consonant Blends?
Consonant blends are two or three consonants that work together at the beginning or end of a word. You can hear each sound, but they blend together quickly!
Unlike vowels (A, E, I, O, U), consonants are all the other letters. When consonants blend, you say both sounds but smoosh them together.
Blend vs. Digraph
In a blend, you hear BOTH sounds (like "bl" in blue - you hear /b/ and /l/).
In a digraph, two letters make ONE new sound (like "sh" in ship - you only hear /sh/).
Beginning Blends
L-Blends
- bl - blue, black, blanket, block
- cl - clap, clock, cloud, class
- fl - flag, fly, flower, flip
- gl - glad, glass, glue, glow
- pl - play, plate, plant, please
- sl - slide, sleep, slow, sled
R-Blends
- br - brown, bread, bring, brush
- cr - crab, cry, crown, crayon
- dr - drum, drive, dress, drop
- fr - frog, friend, free, from
- gr - green, grow, grape, grass
- pr - pretty, print, prize, proud
- tr - tree, truck, train, trip
S-Blends
- sc - scare, score, scooter
- sk - skip, sky, skin, skate
- sm - small, smile, smell, smart
- sn - snow, snake, snack, snap
- sp - spin, spot, speak, spider
- st - stop, star, step, stick
- sw - swim, sweet, swing, sweep
Ending Blends
Some blends come at the end of words too!
- -nd - hand, sand, friend, stand
- -nk - think, drink, pink, bank
- -nt - ant, went, plant, front
- -st - best, fast, list, nest
- -mp - jump, camp, lamp, bump
Examples
Let's find consonant blends in words!
Example 1: Find the blend in "black"
Step 1: Look at the beginning: bl-ack
Step 2: Say both sounds together: /b/ + /l/ = /bl/
Answer: The blend is bl (an L-blend)
Example 2: Find the blend in "frog"
Step 1: Look at the beginning: fr-og
Step 2: Say both sounds together: /f/ + /r/ = /fr/
Answer: The blend is fr (an R-blend)
Example 3: Find the blend in "stop"
Step 1: Look at the beginning: st-op
Step 2: Say both sounds together: /s/ + /t/ = /st/
Answer: The blend is st (an S-blend)
Example 4: Find the blend in "hand"
Step 1: Look at the ending: ha-nd
Step 2: Say both sounds together: /n/ + /d/ = /nd/
Answer: The blend is nd (an ending blend)
Example 5: Find the blend in "drink"
Step 1: Beginning: dr-ink (R-blend)
Step 2: Ending: dri-nk (ending blend)
Answer: This word has TWO blends: dr and nk!
Practice Problems
Find the consonant blend in each word!
1. What is the blend in "tree"?
Show Answer
The blend is tr (an R-blend at the beginning).
2. What is the blend in "clap"?
Show Answer
The blend is cl (an L-blend at the beginning).
3. What is the blend in "swim"?
Show Answer
The blend is sw (an S-blend at the beginning).
4. What is the blend in "best"?
Show Answer
The blend is st (an ending blend).
5. What is the blend in "green"?
Show Answer
The blend is gr (an R-blend at the beginning).
6. What is the blend in "jump"?
Show Answer
The blend is mp (an ending blend).
7. What is the blend in "slide"?
Show Answer
The blend is sl (an L-blend at the beginning).
8. What is the blend in "think"?
Show Answer
The blend is nk (an ending blend). Note: "th" is a digraph, not a blend!
9. What is the blend in "plant"?
Show Answer
This word has TWO blends: pl at the beginning and nt at the end!
10. What is the blend in "brown"?
Show Answer
The blend is br (an R-blend at the beginning).
Check Your Understanding
Answer these questions about consonant blends!
1. What is the difference between a blend and a digraph?
Show Answer
In a blend, you hear both sounds (like "bl"). In a digraph, two letters make one new sound (like "sh").
2. Name three L-blends.
Show Answer
Any three of: bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl
3. Can blends be at the end of words too?
Show Answer
Yes! Ending blends include: -nd (hand), -nk (pink), -nt (ant), -st (fast), -mp (jump)
4. Think of a word that starts with "sp" and say it out loud.
Show Answer
Possible answers: spin, spot, speak, spider, spoon, special, spell
Next Steps
- Practice saying blends quickly and smoothly
- Find words with blends in the books you read
- Go back to Vowel Teams if you need to review
- Fantastic work learning consonant blends!