Train, brain, spring. The underlined letters in these words are examples of which phonics feature?

• A. Digraph
• B. Vowel team
• C. Consonant blend
• D. Syllable

Answer: (C)

Consonant blends are groups of two or more consonants that come together and you hear each sound as you say the word. In train, the initial letters form a blend: /t/ followed by /r/—you hear both sounds when you say the word. In brain, the initial /b/ and /r/ blend is heard as you start the word. In spring, the beginning /s/, /p/, and /r/ form a larger cluster, and you hear all three sounds as you say the word. This shows consonant blends because the letters work together at the start of the word while still keeping their individual sounds. This is different from a vowel team, where two vowels work together to produce one vowel sound (like ai), and from a digraph, where two letters make one sound.