After CVC words, parents often ask, “what’s next?” Learning to read words with consonant blends can be the next step.
When teaching phonics step-by-step, you want to make sure you’re working through in a logical order. So blends make sense because they add in one more letter.
But blends can be hard for a lot of children to read. They need to be taught.
So you can grab a consonant blend word list in this post. Use these words to help your child learn to read blends.
What are consonant blends?
Consonant blends are when two consonant letters are next to each other in a word.
Each letter keeps its own sound. However, they glide or blend together when they are pronounced.
Consonant blends can come at the beginning of words like sl in “sled.” Blends can also come at the end of words like the mp in “camp.”
Blends can be tricky for many children. While it is not a new sound, the way they glide together can make it hard for children to hear.
Similarly, learning to pronounce them together can be tricky, too.
Beginning Consonant Blends Word List
You can grab a free printable beginning consonant blends words list in the box below. You can use this list to help your child learn to read consonant blends.
L Blends Words
- BL words: blab, blip, blob, blot, black, block, blast, bless, blind, blunt, blush, bluff, blade, blame, blink, blank
- CL words: clad, clan, clam, clog, clip, club, clack, clock, class, cliff, clamp, clasp, clash, cloth, clink, cling
- FL words: flag, flap, flat, flip, flex, flop, flash, fleck, flick, floss, flock, flush, flake, flute, flame, flunk
- GL words: glad, glum, glib, Glen, glass, gloss, gland, glint, globe, glove, glee, gloat
- PL words: plan, plot, plug, plus, plop, plum, plump, plant, place, plate, plane, play, plaid, plain, plead, pleat
- SL words: slab, slam, slap, slap, sled, slid, slim, slip, slot, slug, slack, slant, slept, slump, slide, slime
R Blend Words
- BR words: Brad, bran, brat, brim, brag, brand, brisk, brass, brake, broke, bride, brave, brush, branch, brain, braid
- CR words: crab, crib, crop, cram, cross, crust, crack, craft, cramp, crest, crick, crept, crash, crunch, crane, cry
- DR words: drab, drag, drip, drop, drug, drum, draft, drift, drill, dress, Drake, drape, drive, drove, drain, drink
- FR words: frog, from, frost, front, Frank, fresh, frill, frizz, frail, frame, free, freak, freeze, Friday, frozen, fry
- GR words: grab, grid, grip, grit, grub, gruff, grill grump, grand, graft, grasp, grind, grace, grade, grape, graze
- PR: prep, prop, prod, print, prank, primp, prong, press, prune, prize, price, prove, present, prepare, program, project
- TR words: tram, trim, trek, trip, trot, track, truck , trash, truth, trunk, trust, tramp, trace, tribe, trade, tree
S Blend Words
- SC Words: scab, scan, scar, scalp, scarf, scald, scold, scuff, scale, scare, scope, score
- SK Words: skid, skin, skip, skit, skim, skill, skull, skunk, skate, skirt, sky, sketch
- SM Words: smog, smug, smush, smash, Smith, smock, smack, smell, small, smart, smile, smoke
- SN Words: snag, snap, snip, snob, snug, snack, sniff, snake, snare, snore, snail, sneak
- SP Words: span, spat, spin, spit, spot, spill, spend, spent, spare, spore, spine, space
- ST Words: stem, step, step, stab, still, stick, stomp, stand, state, skate, stone, stink
- SW Words: swim, swam, swum, swap, swab, swan, swamp, swift, swish, switch, swell
Word List for Ending Consonant Blends
- -ct words: act, pact, fact, tact, duct, sect
- -ft words: lift, left, sift, raft, gift, soft, tuft, loft, rift
- -st words: last, past, mist, fist, cast, cost, dust, most, rest
- -lt words: belt, bolt, felt, halt, jolt, kilt, melt, quilt, salt
- -ld words: bald, bold, child, cold, gold, hold, mild, old, sold, told, wild
- -lp words: help, yelp, scalp, gulp, kelp, pulp
- -pt words: apt, kept, wept, slept, rapt, adopt, adept, swept, crept, sculpt
- -sp words: gasp, crisp, wasp, lisp, wisp, cusp, clasp
- -sk words: ask, mask, desk, dusk, bask, task, disk, risk, tusk, brisk, flask
- -nd words: and, band, land, sand, grand, hand, stand, bond, fond, find, kind
How do you teach consonant blends?
First, to teach consonant blends, you need a word list. Then, you need to look at the vowels.
Really! Think about what phonics skills your child already knows.
If they only know short vowels, don’t choose words from the list with magic e or other long vowel sounds.
Start with CCVC Blend Words
Similarly, don’t include words with an ending blend, too. Give your child practice with words with a CCVC pattern first. CCVC means consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant.
Here are some of the CCVC words from the list above:
- slam
- drip
- scan
Model with Two Letters
Some Orton-Gillingham programs teach children to pronounce the sounds for the blends together. The drawback is children might not realize that there are two sounds on one flashcard.
When I teach blends, I use sound cards from Sound School. I model that two consonants work together to blend their sounds.
We make and read a lot of beginning blend words this way.
Use Sounds-to-spelling Mapping for Blends
This shows children how two consonants work together. Each consonant is mapped in its own box because it spells one sound.
This is really helpful for children who have trouble hearing both sounds when spelling. It forces them to slow down and tap out each sound.
Consonant Blends Chart
Using a consonant blends anchor chart is another way to help your child learn to read and spell blends.
There is a picture prompt for your child to associate with the letters in the blend. This picture helps your child recall the sounds.
It also helps your child store the words in more permanent memory. Skilled reading involves connecting speech sounds to letters. Then the pronounced word needs to match a word in your child’s listening or speaking vocabulary.
You can use the consonant word list with the chart to strengthen your child’s phonemic awareness. Simply say a word from the list, and ask your child to point to the blend that goes with the word.
For example:
- Say, “The word is crutch. Repeat crutch.”
- Your child, “Crutch.”
- Say, “Point to the picture with the same sounds you hear at the beginning of crutch.”
- Your child points to “crab.”
If you find it’s too many pictures, just cut the chart into strips and use on row at a time.
Resources for Consonant Blends
Here are some of the resources available to work on consonant blends with your child or students.
Phonics Read and Spell Games
This set of games has a superpower. Most of my phonics games focus on reading only. But if you want word learning to really stick, your child needs to spell to.
The same format of board games comes with 20+ different seasonal themes. Plus there are 74+ pages on phonics skills. The graphic above might say 60+ but I’ve already updated these games.
You simply cut apart the phonics word cards and your child gets to practice reading and spelling. It feels like a game, but is jam-packed with learning.
Find the Phonics Read and Spell Games in the Printable Parents Shop or find the Phonics Games for Reading and Spelling on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Phonics Word Mapping Activity
As I mentioned above, blends can be really tricky. Some children have a hard time pulling apart the two sounds into two letters.
Phonics Word Mapping solves this. This activity comes with 36+ picture cards.
Using pictures is valuable because it connects to meaning. You help your child identify the picture and say it aloud (answer key included!).
Grab the Phonics Word Mapping Activity in the Printable Parents’ Shop or on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Blends Color-by-Number
Do you have a child who loves to color? The the Blends Color-by-Number Bundle is perfect for them.
It has pages for each season. This is really helpful because it gives your child important practice over time.
These color-by-number worksheets also come with a word mapping worksheet for each coloring page.
This helps your child correctly identify each picture (not always easy). Then it makes learning more permanent by connecting sounds to letters.
Grab the Blends Color-by-Number in the Printable Parents’ Shop or on grab these Consonant Blend Worksheets on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Free Printable Consonant Blends Word Lists
Make sure to grab your free printable consonant blends words list and chart. Then come back and leave your questions in the comments.
