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Mastering Consonant Blends and Clusters

Once a learner knows their basic 42 sounds, the next step in synthetic phonics is mastering consonant blends. Also known as consonant clusters, these are groups of two or more consonants that appear together at the start (initial blends) or end (final blends) of a word. Our comprehensive phonics word lists help students transition from simple CVC words to more complex CCVC and CVCC structures. By practicing these blends, learners improve their reading fluency and spelling accuracy, gaining the word power needed for advanced English literacy.

Initial Blends (Beginning of Words)

bl - blue, black, blast, blink, block, bled, blond, blush

cl - clap, clean, cliff, clock, cloud, club, click, clay

fl - flag, flat, flip, flop, fly, flow, flash, flame

gl - glad, glass, glen, glide, gloss, glove, glue, glow

pl - plan, play, plum, plug, plot, plus, plate, plane

sl - slap, sled, slid, slim, slot, slug, sleep, slow

br - brag, brass, brick, brim, brush, bread, brave, bright

cr - crab, crack, crib, crop, crust, cry, cream, crane

dr - drag, dress, drip, drop, drum, dry, drink, dream

fr - frog, from, free, fresh, frost, fry, frame, front

gr - grab, grass, green, grin, grip, grub, grow, grape

pr - press, prim, prize, prod, proof, pray, proud, print

tr - track, trap, tree, trim, trip, trot, truck, trust

sc - scan, scar, scat, scuff, scoop, scale, score, scary

sk - skip, skin, skull, skid, sketch, sky, skirt, skate

sm - smack, smell, smile, smog, smug, smoke, smart, small

sn - snag, snap, sniff, snip, snug, snow, snail, snake

sp - span, spell, spill, spin, spot, spun, space, speak

st - stab, stack, step, stop, stuck, star, stand, stick

sw - swam, swim, swum, swift, swell, swing, sweet, swan

Final Blends (End of Words)

nd - band, bend, hand, land, mend, pond, sand, wind

nt - ant, bent, dent, hunt, lent, pant, tent, vent

mp - camp, damp, hump, jump, lamp, pump, ramp, stamp

nk - bank, dunk, honk, link, pink, sank, tank, wink

ft - aft, gift, left, lift, loft, raft, soft, sift

sk - ask, bask, desk, dusk, mask, risk, task, tusk

lt - belt, felt, hilt, jolt, kilt, melt, salt, wilt