Phonics: Consonant Sound Clusters – Basic 2 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Pronounce consonant sounds in isolation
2. Differentiate between consonant sounds in isolation and those in pairs
3. Pronounce consonant clusters correctly
4. Identify consonant clusters in words
5. Produce words with consonant clusters correctly

Content

What are Consonant Sounds?

Consonant sounds are all the letters that are not vowels (a, e, i, o, u). They are: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z.

Single Consonant Sounds (In Isolation)

Practice each sound clearly:

• b – as in ball, bat, book
• c – as in cat, cup, cake
• d – as in dog, door, duck
• f – as in fish, fun, foot
• g – as in goat, girl, game
• h – as in hat, house, happy
• j – as in jump, jam, jug
• k – as in king, key, kite
• l – as in lion, lamp, leg
• m – as in mouse, milk, man
• n – as in nose, net, nine
• p – as in pig, pen, pot
• r – as in rabbit, run, red
• s – as in sun, sock, sit
• t – as in table, top, ten
• v – as in van, voice, very
• w – as in water, win, web
• x – as in box, fox, six
• y – as in yes, yellow, you
• z – as in zoo, zip, zero

What are Consonant Clusters?

Consonant clusters are two or more consonant sounds that come together in a word. They blend together but you can still hear each sound.

Beginning Consonant Clusters

Bl- cluster

Words with bl-:

• black – the darkest color
• blue – color of the sky
• blow – push air with mouth
• block – square toy piece
• blanket – cover for bed
• blood – red liquid in body
• bloom – when flowers open
• blind – cannot see

Br- cluster

Words with br-:

• brown – color of chocolate
• bread – food made from flour
• bring – carry something here
• brother – boy in your family
• brush – tool for cleaning
• bridge – goes over water
• brave – not afraid
• bright – gives lots of light

Cl- cluster

Words with cl-:

• clean – not dirty
• close – near or shut
• clock – tells time
• cloud – white fluffy things in sky
• climb – go up
• class – group of students
• clap – hit hands together
• clothes – things we wear

Cr- cluster

Words with cr-:

• cry – tears from eyes
• cross – go from one side to other
• crown – what kings wear
• crab – sea animal with claws
• cream – white part of milk
• crash – hit with loud noise
• crack – line in something broken
• crazy – very silly

Dr- cluster

Words with dr-:

• draw – make pictures
• dress – clothes girls wear
• drink – put liquid in mouth
• drive – control a car
• drop – let something fall
• drum – musical instrument
• dream – pictures in sleep
• dragon – imaginary fire animal

Fl- cluster

Words with fl-:

• fly – move through air
• flower – pretty part of plant
• flag – cloth symbol of country
• floor – bottom of room
• flood – too much water
• flat – not bumpy, smooth
• flip – turn over quickly
• flame – bright part of fire

Fr- cluster

Words with fr-:

• friend – person you like
• from – starting place
• frog – green animal that jumps
• fruit – sweet food from trees
• free – costs no money
• fresh – new, not old
• freeze – become ice
• Friday – day of the week

Gl- cluster

Words with gl-:

• glass – clear material for windows
• glad – happy
• glue – sticky stuff
• globe – round map of earth
• glove – covering for hand
• glow – shine with soft light
• glory – great honor
• glide – move smoothly

Gr- cluster

Words with gr-:

• green – color of grass
• grow – become bigger
• great – very good
• grass – small plants on ground
• group – people together
• grab – take quickly
• grape – small round fruit
• grand – very big or important

Pl- cluster

Words with pl-:

• play – have fun
• plant – green living thing
• please – polite way to ask
• plate – dish for food
• place – location or spot
• plan – think about future
• plus – add together
• plastic – man-made material

Pr- cluster

Words with pr-:

• pretty – beautiful
• price – how much money
• print – write clearly
• present – gift
• promise – say you will do something
• proud – feel good about yourself
• prince – king’s son
• problem – something difficult

Sl- cluster

Words with sl-:

• slow – not fast
• sleep – rest with eyes closed
• slide – go down smoothly
• small – little, not big
• slip – fall by accident
• slam – close with loud noise
• slice – thin piece cut off
• slap – hit with open hand

Sm- cluster

Words with sm-:

• small – little size
• smell – use your nose
• smile – happy face expression
• smoke – gray clouds from fire
• smooth – not rough
• smart – very clever
• smash – break into pieces
• snack – small meal

Sn- cluster

Words with sn-:

• snow – white flakes from sky
• snake – long animal with no legs
• sneeze – blow air from nose
• snack – small food between meals
• snap – break with sharp sound
• snail – slow animal with shell
• snore – loud breathing when sleeping
• sneak – move quietly and secretly

Sp- cluster

Words with sp-:

• speak – use your voice
• special – not ordinary
• spend – use money
• spin – turn around fast
• spoon – tool for eating
• sport – games and exercise
• spot – small round mark
• spider – eight-legged creature

St- cluster

Words with st-:

• stop – don’t move anymore
• start – begin
• story – tale about events
• stand – be on your feet
• star – bright light in night sky
• strong – has lots of power
• stick – thin piece of wood
• stone – small rock

Sw- cluster

Words with sw-:

• sweet – tastes like sugar
• swim – move through water
• swing – move back and forth
• switch – turn on or off
• swallow – bird or gulp down food
• sweat – water from skin when hot
• sweep – clean with broom
• swift – very fast

Tr- cluster

Words with tr-:

• tree – tall plant with trunk
• true – real, not false
• try – make an effort
• train – long vehicle on tracks
• trip – journey to another place
• truck – big vehicle for carrying
• track – path or follow
• trash – things we throw away

Ending Consonant Clusters

-Nd cluster

Words ending in -nd:

• hand – part of arm with fingers
• land – ground, not water
• sand – tiny pieces of rock
• wind – moving air
• find – discover something
• kind – nice and helpful
• mind – brain, thinking part
• send – make something go

-Nt cluster

Words ending in -nt:

• ant – small insect
• plant – green living thing
• want – desire to have
• went – past form of go
• sent – past form of send
• rent – pay to use something
• tent – cloth house for camping
• hunt – look for animals

-St cluster

Words ending in -st:

• last – final one
• fast – very quick
• best – most good
• rest – stop and relax
• test – check what you know
• nest – bird’s home
• west – direction of sunset
• list – things written down

-Sk cluster

Words ending in -sk:

• ask – request information
• desk – table for writing
• mask – covering for face
• task – job to do
• risk – chance of danger
• disk – round flat object

Practice Activities for Consonant Clusters

Activity 1: Cluster Hunt Find the consonant cluster in these words:

• brown → br-
• glass → gl-
• train → tr-
• snake → sn-

Activity 2: Word Building Add clusters to make words:

• ___ue (bl, fl, tr) → blue, flue, true
• ___ink (dr, th, st) → drink, think, stink