When children begin their reading journey, they encounter two categories of letters: vowels and consonants. While vowels often receive special attention for their variable sounds, consonants form the reliable framework upon which reading skills are built. In fact, of the 26 letters in the English alphabet, 21 are consonants. These letters create the structure and boundaries of words, making them essential first steps in learning to read. Understanding how consonants work—and how to teach them effectively—can significantly impact a child’s reading development.
What Are Consonants?
Consonants are speech sounds produced by partially or completely stopping the flow of air through the mouth. Unlike vowels, which involve a relatively open vocal tract, consonants require some form of obstruction in the airflow. In written English, the consonant letters are B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Z, and usually Y (though Y sometimes functions as a vowel).
These letters represent various consonant sounds, and it’s important to note that letters and sounds don’t always match one-to-one in English. For example:
- The letter C can make the /k/ sound as in “cat” or the /s/ sound as in “city”
- The letter combination TH makes a single sound as in “think”
- The letter X typically represents two sounds: /k/ + /s/ as in “box”
Consonants can be categorized by how they’re produced in the mouth:
- Stops: Sounds made by completely blocking airflow (p, b, t, d, k, g)
- Fricatives: Sounds made by forcing air through a narrow space (f, v, s, z, sh, th)
- Nasals: Sounds that direct air through the nose (m, n, ng)
- Liquids: Smooth-flowing sounds (l, r)
- Glides: Sounds that transition into vowels (w, y)
Understanding these categories helps teachers and parents recognize patterns in how children learn and potentially struggle with different consonant sounds.
Consonants in the Reading Journey
Consonant sounds are typically more consistent than vowel sounds, making them excellent starting points for beginning readers. Many effective reading programs start with teaching consonants that have the most consistent sound-letter relationships and are easiest to pronounce in isolation, such as /m/, /s/, /t/.
Consonants play several critical roles in early reading development:
- Word Differentiation: Consonants help children distinguish between similar words. The difference between “cat,” “mat,” and “bat” lies solely in the initial consonant.
- Decoding Foundation: When children learn to blend sounds together to read words, consonants provide clear boundaries and structure for this process.
- Spelling Anchors: In early spelling attempts, children often rely on consonant sounds they can clearly hear, writing “KT” for “cat” before mastering vowels.
- Phonological Awareness Support: Activities like identifying initial consonant sounds help build phonological awareness—the understanding that words are made up of individual sounds.
Research published by the National Reading Panel confirms that systematic phonics instruction, which includes explicit teaching of consonant sounds and their letter relationships, leads to significant improvements in children’s reading and spelling abilities.
Order of Instruction: Which Consonants Come First?
Not all consonants are created equal when it comes to teaching beginning readers. Certain consonants are more accessible starting points:
Typically taught first:
- Continuous consonants that can be held without distortion (m, s, f, l)
- Consonants with consistent sound-letter relationships (b, d, p, t)
- Letters that look distinct from one another (t vs. m vs. s)
Usually taught later:
- Consonants with multiple sounds (c, g)
- Letter combinations that make single sounds (digraphs like sh, ch, th)
- Letters that look similar and might be confused (b/d, p/q)
The precise sequence varies across reading programs, but most follow these general principles. It is also advised to separate visually similar letters in their instruction sequence. For example, b and d might be taught weeks apart to reduce the likelihood of confusion.
Common Consonant Confusions
Many young readers face predictable challenges with certain consonants:
Visual Confusions:
- b/d confusion (both are circles with sticks in different orientations)
- p/q confusion (similar to b/d but in different positions)
- m/w confusion (can look similar in some fonts)
Sound Confusions:
- /v/ and /f/ (both are produced at the lips and teeth, but one is voiced)
- /p/ and /b/ (same mouth position, different voicing)
- /k/ and /g/ (same mouth position, different voicing)
These confusions are normal developmental steps, not signs of reading disorders.
Beyond Single Consonants
Once children master individual consonant sounds, they’re ready to tackle more complex consonant patterns:
Consonant Blends: These are two or three consonants that appear together, with each retaining its own sound (bl, st, str).
Consonant Digraphs: These are two consonants that combine to create a new, single sound (sh, ch, th, wh).
A systematic approach introduces these patterns gradually after children show mastery of single consonants, usually following this sequence:
- Initial consonants (cat, dog)
- Final consonants (hat, run)
- Initial consonant blends (stop, frog)
- Final consonant blends (fast, milk)
- Consonant digraphs (ship, thin)
Putting It Into Practice
Parents can support consonant learning with simple activities:
Sound Hunts: “I spy something that starts with the /m/ sound.” This helps children connect sounds to objects in their environment.
Alphabet Books with Emphasis: When reading alphabet books, emphasize the consonant sound: “B makes the /b/ sound as in ball.”
Sorting Games: Sort objects or pictures by their beginning sounds: “Does ‘dog’ start with /d/ like ‘dinosaur’ or /c/ like ‘cat’?”
Letter Formation Practice: Use multisensory approaches—tracing letters in sand, forming them with playdough, or making letter shapes with the body.
Simple Word Building: Use magnetic letters to build simple consonant-vowel-consonant words like “cat,” “dog,” and “sun.”
Many families find that using digital tools can complement these hands-on activities, providing additional practice opportunities.
The Reading.com app offers structured literacy instruction based on proven reading methods. With just a few minutes of daily practice, children can build strong foundational skills that serve as the building blocks for reading success.
By understanding what consonants are and how they function in early reading, parents and teachers can provide targeted support that helps children build confidence and competence on their path to becoming skilled readers. Download the Reading.com app today for a 7-day free trial and give your child structured practice with these essential building blocks of reading.