Consonant blends: bl, st, tr, fr, sp and endings such as -mp, -nd, -st
Short answer: A blend is two or three consonants said together, each keeping its own sound: bl in blue, st in stop, tr in tree, fr in frog, sp in spoon. Blends also come at the end of words: -mp in jump, -nd in hand, -st in fast. Say them as a smooth group with no vowel between the sounds.
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At a glance
| Blend | Sounds | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bl | /b/ + /l/ | blue |
| st | /s/ + /t/ | stop |
| tr | /t/ + /r/ | tree |
| fr | /f/ + /r/ | frog |
| sp | /s/ + /p/ | spoon |
| -mp / -nd / -st | two final sounds | jump, hand, fast |
How to make the sound
- Say the two sounds one after the other: /b/ + /l/.
- Do not put a vowel between them: blue, not buh-lue.
- At the end, say both sounds: jump has /m/ and /p/.
- Practice short words first: stop, tree, jump.
Examples in sentences
- blue
bl = /bl/: /blu/. - stop
st = /st/: /stɑp/. - tree
tr = /tr/: /tri/. - frog
fr = /fr/: /frɔg/. - jump
-mp = /mp/: /dʒʌmp/. - hand
-nd = /nd/: /hænd/.
Common problems
- Adding a vowel: Saying “suh-top” for stop. Say /st/ together.
- Dropping the last sound: Saying “jum” for jump or “han” for hand. Keep both final sounds.
- Changing /r/ to /l/: In tree and frog, keep /r/ distinct from /l/.
For Vietnamese speakers
- Vietnamese syllables rarely have two consonants together, so blends are the hard part. Start slowly and speed up.
- Practice final blends in word lists: hand, land, sand, stand.
Check yourself
- What are the sounds in “stop”?
Show the answer
/s/ /t/ /ɑ/ /p/ Four sounds, start with /st/.
- Which word has a final blend?
Show the answer
jump -mp.
- Is there a vowel between b and l in “blue”?
Show the answer
No. Say /bl/ together.
Questions
What is a consonant blend?
Two or more consonants that each keep their sound.
Is a blend the same as a digraph?
No. A digraph is two letters with one sound; a blend is two sounds.
How do I practice final blends?
Say the word slowly, then add a quick final consonant: han-d.
More lessons in this part
Part of the 👄 Pronunciation tool: Phonics & Word Decoding. See also the English pronunciation guide. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30