What is a Consonant? A Complete How-To Guide

7 min read
What is a Consonant? A Complete How-To Guide

When learning how to speak a new language, learning it’s alphabet is an unavoidable part of the process, the English alphabet includes two types of letters: vowel and consonants. 

Consonants are any vowels that restrict airflow through the vocal tract.

But what’s the point of understanding consonants in the alphabet? Whether you are a native English speaker or learning the language for the first time, there is a lot of importance in understanding what consonants are and the correct way to pronounce them. 

What is a Consonant?

what does consonant mean

The alphabet is broken up into two types of letters: vowels and consonants. The consonants include B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y, Z.

from our mouths through the obstruction of breath.

For example,

  • T is pronounced using the front part of the tongue.
  • K is pronounced using the back part of the tongue.
  • B is pronounced with the lips
  • H is pronounced in the throat
  • F is pronounced by forcing air through a narrow gap
  • M is pronounced using the nasal passage

When a consonant is combined with a vowel, a syllable is formed. Enough syllables combined create a complete word, and together language is useful. 

Knowing how to pronounce consonants correctly is the surest way to communicate to listeners clearly. These sounds make language crisp and clear.

Consonants are easier to learn how to pronounce than vowels since there is usually only one way to pronounce consonants. 

Consonants vs. Vowels

Letters of the alphabet are the building blocks of words. But, the purest definition of letters is how our mouth moves to sound out the letter.

Vowels differ from consonants because vowels are the free movement from the mouth versus the obstruction of air in the vocal cords.

For a complete review of vowels and vowel sounds, check out our blog on the topic.

Consonant Blends

Consonant blends are the sounds that are created when you combine two or more consonants. These blends can be found at the beginning or the ending of a word.

For a set of letters to be considered a consonant blend, all of the letters must be individually pronounced; these blends range in complexity, but they all are consistent with including blends of pronounced letters. 

There are many different kinds of consonant blends (since many of these blends create the English language!). Here is a sample of the various blends and examples.

Two-Letter L-Blends

L-blends are the combinations of letters where the second letter is an L.

blclflglplsl
blendclickflatgladplaceslick
blewclamflagglamourplaygroundslack
bleedcleanflowerglowingplanslump
blandclaimflamegloomierplaysleigh
blueclassflamingoglassesplantsleeve
blueberryclapflimsyglasspleasesloppy
blackclayflakeglazeplucksleek
blanketclosefluglanceplasticsled
bleachclashflyglidingplaypensly
blackboardclothesfluttergleeplentyslot
bleachclimbflingglitterplopslice
blackboardclingflexibleglobeplusslim
blubber flipperglobplasticslime
bluebird floatglovepliersslow
blow fluffyglueplywoodsloth
blood flood plateslot
blast flit platypussleep
blink   pluralslate
bliss   planet 
blossom   plum 
blatant   plumber 
blame     

Two-Letter R-Blends

what is a consonant letter

R-blends are the combinations of letters where the second letter is an R.

brcrdrfrgrprtr
bracecrabdrabfractiongrabprairietruck
braceletcrackdrivefragilegratefulprancetry
bracketcrackerdraftfragmentgracepraytrust
bradcrackledrawerfragrantgracefulprecioustray
bragcraterdragfrailgreyhoundprecipitationtree
braidcradledragonframegraciousprecisetrail
braincraftsdreadfrankgradprecocioustrain
brakecreakdragonflyfranticgradepredicttrack
bramblecragdrainfraudgruntprepositiontraffic
brancramdreadfulfraygradualpresenttrade
branchcrampdrakefreegrievingpresidenttrash
brandcrispdramfreezegraduatepresstravel
brasscranberrydreamfreezergraffitipreytreat
bratcranedramafreightgreatpricetrace
bravecraneflydramatic grizzlypridetrachea
brawnycrowddribble graftprimtract
braycraniumdrank grahamprimarytraction
breachcreep  grainprimetractor
breadcranky  gramprincetradition
breakcranny  gruffprincesstragedy
breathcrash  grammar tragic
 crass  gruesome trailer
 crew  grand trait
 crate  grandchild traitor
    growl  
    grandfather  
    grandmother  
    grandchild  
    grandparent  
    granite  
    groovy  
    grant  
    granular  
    graffiti  
    grapefruit  
    grapes  
    grammar  
    graph  
    grasp  

Two-Letter S-Blends

what is consonant sound

 

scshsksmsnspstsw
scabshackskatesmacksnackspastabswab
scabbardshadeskateboardsmoothsnagspacestableswaddle
scarecrowshipskinnysmallpoxsnowsportstandsweep
scadsshadowskateparksmarmysnailspacecraftstackswagger
scarletshakeskedaddlesmoochsnakespaciousstadiumswallow
scaffoldshoreskunksmartsnoutspoonstampsweat
scattershallskeetsmashsnapspacklestaffswallowtail
scaldshamskeinsmokesnapdragonspadestagswam
scaleshovelskullsmatteringsnorkelspicystopswim
scaleneshampooskeletalsmearsnapperspaghettistageswami
scorchshamrockskeletonsmidgesnapshotSpainstaggerswamp
scallopshakeskysmellsnorespendcrustswine
scorchshapeskepticsmeltsnarespamstairswan
scalpsharesketchsmearsnarlspanstakeswanky
scalpelshinyskyscrapersmidgensnugglespeechbestsweet
scalysharksketchbooksmilesnatchspandexstalactiteswansong
scoldsheskewsmothersnazzyspankstalagmiteswap
scamshoddyskirtsmirksnoopspinedustswaddle
scampersheepskewersmitesneaksparstaleswarm
scorpionshelfskiS’moresneakersparestalk 
scanshoulderskim milksmithsnifflesspotstoop 
scandalshellskidsmittensneerspareribsstall 
scanner skiffsmallsneezesparkstallion 
scurry skillsmocksneezespinstart 
scant skilletsmogsnickersparklestamp 
  skim snidesparkler  
  skimobile snakespy  
    sniffsparrow  
    snifflesparse  
    snipspell  
    snipespartan  
    sniperspasm  
    snippersspider  
    snippyspat  
    snit   
    snivel   

Two-Letter T-Blends

thtw
thant’was
thanktwang
thanksgivingtweak
thattweed
thawtween
thetweet
theirtweeze
themtweezers
thentwelfth
theretwelve
thereforetwenty
thermometertwerp
thesetwice
theytwiddle
they’retwig
thicktwilight

Three-Letter Blends

what is the meaning of consonant

Three-letter blends, or clusters, are a combination of three consonants. Remember, a blend is a set of three letters with distinct letter sounds.

schscrshrsphsplsprsqustrthr
schedulescramshranksphagnumsplashsprainsquabstraightthrash
schematicscrambleshrapnelspheresplashdownsprangsquabblestrainthread
schoolhousescrapshredsphericalsplatespressosquealstreamlinedthroes
schemescrapbookshrewspheroidsplattersprawlsquadstraitthreat
scherzoscrapeshrewdsphinctersplayspraysquadronstrandthree
shwagscrappyshrieksphinxspleenmissprintsqueakstreetlightthrobs
schismscratchshrift splendidspreadsqualidstrangethresher
schizophrenicscrawlshrill splendorspreadsheetsquallstrapthrew
schizyscrawnyshrimp splicespringersquintstrangulatethrice
schlepscreamshrine splintspreesqualorstrawthrough
schlockscreechshrink splintersprigsquanderstrawberrythrift
schemedscreenshrivel splitdisprovesqualidstraightforwardthriller
schmoozescreenwritershroud splotchyspringsquarestraythroughout
scholarscrewshrub splurgespringboardsquashstreakthrive
schtiks shrug splurtjurisprudencesquirrelinstrumentationthroat
scholarship shrunk splutterspringboksquatstreamthreads
scholastic    springtimesquawkstreetthrob
schnapps    spreadablesquadconstructionthrone
school    sprinklesqueakstrengththift
schoolroom    sprinklersquealstressthrong
schoolies    springtime structurethrottle
schooner    sprint stressthrobbed
schwa    sprite stretchthrough
     bedspread  throw
     spritz  threatened
     spritzer  thrush
     disproving  thrust
     sprocket   
     sprout   
     offspring   
     spruce   
     sprung   
     spry   

Conclusion

what are consonants words

Consonants cannot be used on their own. They must have vowels to create syllables (and words). However, it’s essential to understand the importance of consonants and what qualifies a consonant when learning about language.

For review:

  • A consonant is any letter that restricts airflow through the vocal tract.
  • There are consonant blends that combine letters to create a complete sound (and word). Two-letter blends are called digraphs, and three-letter blends are called trigraphs.