Blending Sounds into Words
Learn to blend sounds like c-a-t into words. A fun phonics lesson for ages 4-7 with word-building games to help your child learn to read.
Key takeaways
- Say each sound, then push them together
- c-a-t blends into the word cat
- Go slow, then speed up to read the whole word
Push the sounds together
You know your letter sounds. Now let's put them together! When you say sounds one after another and push them into one word, that is called blending.
Sound it out
Look at the word cat. Say each sound slowly:
/c/ ... /a/ ... /t/
Now say them faster: /c/-/a/-/t/. Push them together... cat! 🐱 You read a word!
Try more words
Let's blend more short words. Say each sound, then push them together.
- /d/ /o/ /g/ → dog 🐶
- /s/ /u/ /n/ → sun ☀️
- /h/ /a/ /t/ → hat 🎩
- /p/ /i/ /g/ → pig 🐷
Did you hear the word appear? That is blending magic!
Slow then fast
When a word is new, go slow. Stretch the sounds like elastic: cccc-aaaa-tttt. Then say it fast: cat.
Use your finger to point under each letter as you say its sound. When you reach the end, slide your finger fast and say the whole word.
Your turn
Try these on your own. Point and blend:
| Sounds | Word |
|---|---|
| h-a-t | ? |
| p-i-g | ? |
| s-u-n | ? |
Say each one out loud to a grown-up. Were you right? 🎉
Well done!
Blending helps you read lots of words. Start slow, then go fast. Soon you will blend without even thinking!
Next, try Word Families: -at, -an, -ig and Letter Sounds N to Z.
Quick quiz
Test yourself and earn XP
Blend the sounds: d-o-g. What word is it?
d-o-g blends into dog.
Which sounds make the word 'cat'?
The sounds c-a-t blend into cat.
Blend the sounds: s-u-n. What word is it?
s-u-n blends into sun.
Play & learn
Build the word +10 XP
Completed ✓ +10 XP
Build one more +10 XP
Completed ✓ +10 XP
FAQ
Blending is saying each sound in a word, then pushing them together to read the whole word.
Start with short three-sound words like cat, dog, sun, hat and pig.
Keep exploring
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