Blends and Digraphs

English (Mridang) — early reading passages introduce two-letter sound combinations like 'sh', 'ch', 'bl', 'st' in common words.

• A blend has two or three letters where you hear each letter's sound (bl in black, st in star).
• A digraph has two letters that make one new sound (sh in ship, ch in chair, th in that).
• How to spot blends and digraphs at the start of words.

Verbal: A blend = two sounds said quickly together. A digraph = two letters, one new sound.

Symbolic: bl, st, cr, fl, gr, sw, sp = blends (both sounds heard). sh, ch, th, wh = digraphs (one new sound).

Level 1 — Common blends

Level 1 — Common digraphs

Level 2 — Blend vs digraph

In black, you hear both /b/ and /l/. In ship, /s/ and /h/ blend into one new /sh/ sound.

Level 2 — Special digraphs

Wh in wheel and ph in phone also make special single sounds.

Is 'ch' in 'chair' a blend or a digraph?

Step 1 — Say 'chair' slowly.
Step 2 — Do you hear /c/ and /h/ separately? No — you hear one new /ch/ sound.
Answer: digraph

• Is 'th' in 'that' a blend or a digraph?
• Name a word that begins with the blend 'cr'.
• Name a word that begins with the digraph 'ch'.

Stretch: Find one blend word and one digraph word on this page and say them aloud.

Revision tip: Sort five words into two groups — blends and digraphs — using their beginning sounds.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Blends and Digraphs.