Consonant Clusters (Blends)

Consonant clusters (also called consonant blends) are groups of two or more consonant sounds
together with no vowel or diphthong between them. A consonant blend is when two or more
consonants are blended together, but each sound may be heard in the blend.
They can occur at the beginning (street [stɹit]), middle (extra [ˈɛk stɹəә]), and end of a word
(exact [ɪgˈzækt]).
The most common beginning consonant blends include: bl, br, cl, cr, dr, fr, tr, fl, gl, gr, pl, pr, sl,
sm, sp and st.
Blends can also occur at the end of words as in the word “last”.

Beginning Consonant Clusters

 Beginning clusters can have two or three sounds.
 Initial two-sound consonant clusters.
[bl] blow [bloʊ] [sf] sphere [sfɪəәɹ]
[bɹ] break [bɹeɪk] [sk] ski [ski], score [skɔɹ], school
[dw] dwell [dwεl] [sl] [skul], square [skwεəәɹ]
[dɹ] drip [dɹɪp] [sm] slip [slɪp]
[kl] clean [klin] [sn] smell [smεl]
[kɹ] crib [kɹɪb], Christmas [sp] snow [snoʊ]
[kw] [ˈkɹɪs məәs] [st] speak [spik]
[fl] quick [kwɪk]
[sw] stem [stεm]
[fɹ] flow [floʊ]
[ʃɹ] swift [swɪft]
[gl] friend [fɹεnd], phrase
[fɹeɪz] [tɹ] shred [ʃɹεd]
[gɹ]
glass [glæs] [tw] tree [tɹi]
[pl]
great [gɹeɪt] [θɹ] twin [twɪn]
[pɹ]
please [pliz] three [θɹi]]
price [pɹaɪs]

Initial three-sound consonant clusters

[stɹ] street [stɹit]
[spɹ] spring [spɹɪŋ]
[skɹ] scream [skɹim]
[spl] splash [splæʃ]
[skw] square [skwεəәɹ]
A complete list of all possible middle and ending consonant clusters in American English.
[dθ] width [wɪdθ] [nd] mind [maɪnd]
[dv] advance [ædˈvæns] [ndʒ] change [ʧeɪnʤ]
[kp] backpack [ˈbækˌpæk] [nt] mint [mɪnt]
[kt] fact [fækt] [ntʃ] pinch [pɪnʧ]
[ft] left [lεft] [nθ] month [mʌnθ]
[lb] bulb [bʌlb] [nz] lens [lεnz]
[ld] hold [hoʊld] [nzm] transmission [tɹænsˈmɪʃ əәn]
[ldʒ] bulge [bʌlʤ] [ŋk]
pink [pɪŋk]
[lf] self [sεlf] [ŋgl]
English [ˈɪŋ glɪʃ]
[lk] milk [mɪlk] [ŋθ]
[lm] film [fɪlm] [ɹb] length [lεŋθ]
[lp] help [hεlp] [ɹʧ] yearbook [ˈjɪəәɹˌbʊk]
[ls] pulse [pʌls] [ps] fortune [ˈfɔɹ ʧəәn]
[lt] melt [mεlt] [pθ] snaps [snæps]
[ltʃ] mulch [mʌlʧ] [ɹθ] depth [dεpθ]
[lθ] filth [fɪlθ] [sk] birth [bɜɹθ]
[lv] solve [sɑlv] [sp] risk [ɹɪsk]
[mf] triumph [ˈtɹaɪ əәmf] [st] grasp [gɹæsp]
[mp] [sʧ] least [list]
limp [lɪmp]
question [ˈkwεs ʧəәn]

Two-Letter L-Blend Examples

When the second letter in a two-letter consonant blend is and L, it’s called an l-blend.
Bl blend, bland, blue, black, blanket, bleach, blood, blast, blatant, blame.
Cl click, clam, clean, claim, class, clap, clay, close, clash, clothes, climb, cling
Fl flat, flower, flame, flimsy, flute, fling, float, fluffy, flit
Gl glad, glamor, glasses, glass, glaze, glee, glitter, globe, glove, glue
Pl place, plan, play, plant, please, plenty, plus, plywood, plate, plum, plumber
Sl Slick, slack, sleigh, sleeve, sleek, sled, slot, slice, slim, slime, slow, slot, sleep

Two-Letter R-Blend Examples

When the second letter in a two-letter consonant blend is an R, it’s called an r-blend.
br brain, brown, bright, brim, broke, broom
cr crab, crumb, crib, cry, crank, crow, crew, crazy, create, credit, creature
dr draw, dream, drain, dress, drone, drink, drag, dragon, drop, drawer, dry
fr from, freezer, free, freedom, frozen, frighten, friend, fruit, freak
gr grade, great, grocery, grueling, grape, grass, grandparent, grapefruit, grease
pr practice, prove, pretzel, prevent, private, press, price, pride, promise
tr truck, try, trust, tray, tree, trail, train, track, traffic, trade, trash, travel, treat

Two-Letter S-Blend and T-Blend Examples

When the first letter in a two-letter consonant blend is an S, it’s an s-blend, and when it’s a T, it’s called a t-
blend.
sc school, scribble, scale, score, scrap, scratch, schedule
sk skunk, skate, skinny, skeleton, ski, skill, skin, sketch, sky, ask, mask
sm small, smart, smear, smash, smell, smitten, smog, smock, schism
sn snack, snail, snare, sneak, snore, snake, snob, snow, sneeze, snap
sp space, spot, splash, speak, spend, splurge, sport, special, wasp, clasp
st stair, step, stop, stare, store, stage, story, steak, stand, star, list, last
sw sweet, swan, sworn, swallow, sweat, swing, swim, swamp, sweater, swollen
tw twinkle, tweet, tweezer, twelve, twice, twenty, twirl, twist, twine

Three-Letter Consonant Blend Examples

These consonant blends are made up of three consonants that aren’t separated by any vowels, but you still say the
sound of each letter when you pronounce the words.
Scr scrape, scrap, scream, screech
Spl splash, spleen, splendid, splint
Spr sprain, spray, sprint
Str strain, strap, strobe, streak
 Consonant Blends vs. Consonant Digraphs and Trigraphs

consonant digraph ː When 2 consonants are joined together and form one new sound, it is
called a "consonant digraph". A good example of that is "sh," which makes a sound quite
different from the "s" or the "h” on their own. They count as one sound and one letter and are
never separated.
Examples: "ch, sh, th, ph and wh".
consonant trigraph When three consonants are joined together and form one new sound, it is
called a "consonant trigraph." Some trigraphs are: nth, sch, scr, shr, spl, spr, squ, str, thr

Blends & Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters or blends, are the names given to two or
three consonants that appear together in a word. Each consonant retains its sound when blended.

Initial consonant word bl-, br-, cl-, cr-, dr-, fl-, fr-, gl-, gr-, pl-, pr-, sc-, sk-, sl-, sm- , sn-, sp-, sq-, st-,
blends: str-, sw-, tr-
Final consonant word –st, –sk, –sp, –nd, –nt, –nk, –mp, –rd, –ld, –lp, –rk, –lt, –lf, –pt, –ft, –ct
blends:

Initial Consonant Blend Word Lists

“bl-” blends blend, blue, black, blossom, blur, blind
“br-” blends break, brown, brace, brick, brand, bright
“cr-” blends crown, crow, crab, cream, create, cry
“sn-” blends snake, snack, snow, sneak, snore, snap
“st-” blends star, stamp, stem, story, steak, stop

Final Consonant Blend Word Lists

“-ct” blends Act, direct, fact, object, project, respect, tract
“-ft” blends Craft, drift, gift, left, raft, soft
“-st” blends last, first, test, quest, worst, thirst
“-sk” blends mask, task, risk, desk, disk, tusk, ask
“-sp” blends Clasp, crisp, cusp, gasp, grasp
“-lf” blends Calf, half, golf, self
“-ld” blends cold, told, fold, mold, gold, sold, child, held, hold, old, wild
“-lp” blends Gulp, help, kelp, pulp, scalp, yelp
“-lt” blends Adult, belt, melt, result, difficult, fault, salt
“-mp” blends Camp, dump, lamp, pump, stamp, jump
“-nd” blends sand, wand, pond, send, tend, find, band, blend, end, kind, land, stand
“-nk” blends skunk, sink, think, thank, tank, dunk, bank, drink, junk, pink, shrink
“-nt” blends Different, important, parent, plant, president, student, want, went
“-pt” blends Accept, adopt, crept, except, kept, slept
“-rd” blends Afford, bird, card, discard, hard, record, word, yard
“-rk” blends Ark, clerk, irk, jerk, lurk, park, smirk, work

Consonant clusters or blends consist of four major categories

1. r-clusters br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr,
2. s-clusters sc, sk, sl, sm, sn, sp, st, sw,
3. l-clusters bl, cl, fl, gl, pl.
4. 3 letter clusters str, spr thr, chr, phr, shr.

Phonics L-Family Blends (Bl, Cl, Fl, Gl, Pl, Sl)

Consonant Blend: Bl- Words include: black, blow, blue, bloom, blast, and blinds.
Consonant Blend: Cl- Words in this set include: clap, clown, clover, clam, clip, clothes, and climb.
Consonant Blend: Fl- Words include: fly, flag, flame, floss, and flute.
Consonant Blend: Gl- words, such as glass, glue, glad, globe, and glove.
Consonant Blend: Pl- word wheel, flashcards, and more.
Consonant Blend: Sl- Words in this set include: sled, sleep, slide, slice, sloth, and slug.
Phonics R-Family Blends (Br, Cr, Dr, Fr, Gr, Tr)
Consonant Blend: Br- Words include: broom, brush, brick, branch, bread, and brain.
Consonant Blend: Cr- Words include: cry, crib, crack, crab, creek, and crown.
Consonant Blend: Dr- Words in this set include drive, dress, drop, driveway, drum, and dragon.
Consonant Blend: Fr- words like frog, fries, friend, fruit, and frisbee.

Consonant Blend: Gr- words like grass, grapes, grill, and grow.
Consonant Blend: Pr- words like princess, price, and pretzel.
Consonant Blend: Tr- Words in this set include: train, tree, tray, truck, trash, triangle, and tractor.

Phonics -S Family Blends (SC-, SK-, SN-, St-, Sw-)

Consonant Blend: Sc- scooter, scare, scoop, scarecrow, scarf, scope, and scout.
Consonant Blend: Sk- skip, ski, skate, skunk, sky, and skill.
Consonant Blend: Sn- snake, snip, snow, snail, snack, and sniff.
Consonant Blend: St- stop, stool, stay, star, stump, and story.
Consonant Blend: Sw- sweater, swan, sweep, swing, and swim.

Parts of Words—Segmenting and Blending.

How many sounds are in the word slap? four
slap, /s/ /l/ /a/ /p/, slap
segment the word stop on your own:
(Stop, /s/ /t/ /o/ /p/, stop.)
A consonant blend is when two consonants are together in a word and you can still hear each
sound. Consonant blends are two or three consonants right next to each other and that each letter
makes its own sound, each consonant in a blend makes a sound.
A blend is when two consonants next to each other make two sounds, like s and t in stop. You
blend the sounds together, just as you do with CVC words. Watch how I blend this word.

Word is S-t-o-p?
How many letters in stop?
Four.
How many sounds in stop?
[Use your fingers to count.]
/s/ /t/ /o/ /p/: There are four sounds because s and t each have their own sound.
To read this word, I will sound out parts of the word, and then say the word fast.
In this word, /st/ (point to letters) is a consonant blend. You can hear the sounds of /s/ and /t/
when the letters are put together. Listen: /st/.