The BR Sound
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Videos and songs to help First Grade kids learn how to pronounce consonant blend BR. Learn words that begin or end with BR.
A consonant blend is when two or three consonants are next to each other in a word, and you can hear each of the consonant sounds blended together. Unlike digraphs (like “sh” or “ch”), where the two letters make a completely new sound, in blends, you can still distinguish the individual sounds.
Learning the “Br” Blend
The “br” blend is made up of the consonants “b” and “r."
“b” sound: /b/ (as in “ball”)
“r” sound: /r/ (as in “run”)
When you put them together, you get the blended sound /br/. Try saying it slowly: /b/-/r/-/br/. You should be able to hear both the “b” and “r” sounds.
Here are some common words that start with the “br” blend:
brave, bread, break, brick, bridge, bright, bring, brush, brown
The following diagram shows some examples of words that start with BR. Practice saying these “br” blend words to learn to the “br” blend sound. Scroll down the page for more examples.
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Tips for Practicing the “br” Blend:
- Say the sounds slowly: Practice saying the “b” and “r” sounds separately, then blend them together.
- Read “br” words aloud: Practice reading words with the “br” blend. Pay attention to how the sounds blend together.
- Write “br” words: Writing words with the “br” blend can help reinforce the spelling and sound.
- Use flashcards: Create flashcards with “br” words and practice reading them.
- Listen to examples: Listen to videos of someone pronouncing “br” words.
What Is a Blend?
Blends are two letters that begin words and each letter sound can be heard.
br, cr, dr, fr
Blends Words BR
Blend words that start with Br.
Two letters that come together and keep their own sounds are taught in school as “letter blends”
Phonics blends br
Phonics reading book for children learning the ‘br’ sound
Brrrrr! Brown Bear
Learn the Sounds of the Letters
Learning Short Vowels
| Short Vowels | ||
|---|---|---|
| Short A | Short E | Short I |
| Short O | Short U | Short Vowels |
Learning Long Vowels
| Long Vowels | ||
|---|---|---|
| Long A | Long E | Long I |
| Long O | Long U | Y (vowel) |
| Long Vowels | Short, Long Vowels | |
Compare Short & Long Vowels
| Short & Long Vowels | ||
|---|---|---|
| Short & Long A | Short & Long E | Short & Long I |
| Short & Long O | Short & Long U | Short I & Long E |
Learning Consonants
| Consonant Blends | ||
|---|---|---|
| BL Sound | CL Sound | FL Sound |
| GL Sound | PL Sound | SL Sound |
| BR Sound | CR Sound | DR Sound |
| FR Sound | GR Sound | PR Sound |
| TR Sound | SK Sound | SN Sound |
| SP Sound | ST Sound | Str, Scr, Spr |
| Nd, Nt, Nk | ||
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