Diagraphs

Consonant Blends.

Blends are consonant letter clusters (a group of consonants with no vowels between them) that occur commonly in words. They comprise two or three consonants blended together in sound while retaining the sounds of the individual letters. For example: ‘bl’ in black, ‘cr’ in credit, ‘spr’ in spring, ‘st' in fast, ‘nd’ in land.

Consonant digraphs include: bl, br, ch, ck, cl, cr, dr, fl, fr, gh, gl, gr, ng, ph, pl, pr, qu, sc, sh, sk, sl, sm, sn, sp, st, sw, th, tr, tw, wh, wr. Some trigraphs are: nth, sch, scr, shr, spl, spr, squ, str, thr. There are also digraphs that produce a distinct vowel sound. Some examples are: ai, au, aw, ay, ea, ee, ei, eu, ew, ey, ie, oi, oo, ou, ow, oy.

Some words that begin with common digraphs or blends are the following:

bl

br

brace, bracelet, bracket, brad, brag, braid, brain, brake, bramble, bran, branch, brand, brass, brat, brave, brawny, bray, breach, bread, break, breath, breathe, bred, breed, breeze, brew, briar, bribe, brick, bride.

blab, black, blackberry, blackbird, blackmail, blacksmith, bladder, blade, blah, blame, blanche, bland, blandish, blank, blanket, blaring, blarney, blast, blatant, blaze, bleach.

ch

cl

clad, claim, clairvoyant, clam, clambake, clamber, clammy, clamor, clamp, clamshell, clan, clandestine, clap, clapper, clarify, clarinet, clarity, clash, clasp, class, classic, classical, classification, classify, classmate.

chain, chair, chalk, challenge, chamber, champion, chance, change, channel, chant, chap, chapel, chapter, char, charge, chariot, charity, charm, chart, chase, chat, cheap, check.

dr

cr

drab, draft, drag, dragon, dragonfly, dragoon, drain, drake, dram, drama, dramatic, drank, drape, drapery, drastic, draw, drawbridge, drawer, drawl, drawn, dread, dreadful,

crab, crack, cracker, crackle, crackpot, cradle, crafts, crag, cram, cramp, cranberry, crane, cranefly, cranium, cranky, cranny, crash, crass, crate, crater, crave, crawfish, crawl, crayfish, crayon.

fl

fr

flab, flabbergasted, flag, flagship, flail, flair, flake, flamboyant, flame, flamingo, flan, flank, flannel, flap, flapjacks, flare, flash, flashcard, flask, flat, flatter, flaunt, flavor, flaw, flax, flay, flea, fleck, fled.

fraction, fragile, fragment, fragrant, frail, frame, frank, frantic, fraud, fray, free, freeze, freezer, freight, French horn, frenzy.

gr

gl

grab, grace, graceful, gracious, grad, grade, gradual, graduate, graffiti, graft, graham, grain, gram, grammar, grand, grandchild, grandfather,

glacier, glad, glade, gladiator, gladiolus, glamor, glamorous, glance, gland, glare, glass, glasses, glaze, gleam, glean, glee, glen.

pl

pl

prairie, prance, pray, precious, precipitation, precise, precocious, predict, preposition, present, president, press, pretzel, prey, price, pride, prim, primary, prime, prince, princess.

place, placid, plagiarize, plague, plaid, plain, plan, plane, planet, plank, plankton, plant, plantain, plantation, planter, plaque, plasma.

sc

sh

shack, shade, shadow, shake, shall, sham, shampoo, shamrock, shape, share, shark, she, sheep, shelf, shell, shepherd,

scab, scabbard, scads, scaffold, scald, scale, scalene, scallop, scalp, scalpel, scaly, scam, scamper, scan, scandal, scanner, scant, scapegoat, scar, scarab, scare, scarecrow, scarf.

sk

sl

skate, skateboard, skatepark, skedaddle, skeet, skein, skeletal, skeleton, skeptic, sketch, sketchbook, skew, skewer, ski, skid, skiff, skill, skillet, skim, skimobile, skimp, skimpy, skin.

slab, slack, slain, slam, slant, slap, slash, slat, slave, slaw, slay, sled, sleek, sleep, sleeping bag, sleet, sleeve, sleigh, slender, slice, slick, slid,

bl

br

brace, bracelet, bracket, brad, brag, braid, brain, brake, bramble, bran, branch, brand, brass, brat, brave, brawny, bray, breach, bread, break, breath, breathe, bred, breed, breeze, brew, briar, bribe, brick, bride.

blab, black, blackberry, blackbird, blackmail, blacksmith, bladder, blade, blah, blame, blanche, bland, blandish, blank, blanket, blaring, blarney, blast, blatant, blaze, bleach.

sm

sn

snack, snag, snail, snake, snap, snapdragon, snapper, snapshot, snare, snarl, snatch, snazzy, sneak, sneaker, sneer, sneeze, snicker, snide, sniff, sniffle, snip, snipe, sniper.

smack, small, smallpox, smarmy, smart, smash, smattering, smear, smell, smelt, smidgen, smile, smilodon, smirk, smite, smith, smitten, smock, smog, smoke.

sp

st

spa, space, spacecraft, spacious, spackle, spade, spaghetti, Spain, spam, span, spandex, spank, spar, spare, spareribs, spark, sparkle, sparkler, sparrow, sparse, spartan, spasm, spat, spatial, spatter.

stab, stable, stack, stadium, staff, stag, stage, stagger, stair, stake, stalactite, stalagmite, stale, stalk, stall, stallion, stamp, stand, stapler, star.

sw

th

swab, swaddle, swagger, swallow, swallowtail, swam, swami, swamp, swan, swanky, swansong, swap, swarm, swashbuckler, swat, sway, swear, sweat, sweater, sweatshirt.

than, thank, thanksgiving, that, thaw, the, their, them, then, there, therefore, thermometer, these, they, they’re, thick, thief.

tr

tw

trace, trachea, track, tract, traction, tractor, trade, tradition, traffic, tragedy, tragic, trail, trailer, train, trait, traitor, tram, tramp, trample.

t’was, twang, tweak, tweed, tween, tweet, tweeze, tweezers, twelfth, twelve, twenty, twerp, twice, twiddle, twig, twilight.

wh

wr

whale, wharf, what, wheat, wheel, wheelbarrow, wheelchair, wheeze, whelp, when, where, whereby, wherefore, wherewithal, whet, whether, whetstone.

wrack, wraith, wrangle, wrap, wraparound, wrapper, wrath, wreath, wreck, wreckage, wrecker, wren, wrench, wrestle.

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