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Reading For All

Level 2 — Lesson 11

Mix It Up!
3-Letter BlendsvsDigraph Blends
🔀
3-Letter Blends or Digraph Blends?
Both have three letters at the start! 3-letter blends like "str" blend three consonant sounds. Digraph blends like "shr" start with a digraph then add a consonant. Listen for the difference!
🏆 Triple Letters Take Triple Effort!
Both types have three consonant letters at the start. The difference? 3-letter blends keep all three sounds. Digraph blends start with a digraph (one new sound) plus a consonant.
3-Letter Blend: str = /s/ + /t/ + /r/ • Digraph Blend: shr = /sh/ + /r/

⚓ Anchor Words

👧
Abby
/ă/ — short A
Level 1 Star
💪
Effort
/ĕ/ — short E
Level 1 Star
📣
Issue
/ĭ/ — short I
Level 1 Star
👦
Otto
/ŏ/ — short O
Level 1 Star
💃
Usher
/ŭ/ — short U
Level 1 Star

Our Level 1 friends help us sort these tricky triple-letter starts!

👂 Listen & Compare

Both start with three consonant letters — but they sound different!

strip🔈 /s/ /t/ /r/ /i/ /p/ — 3-Letter
vs
shrimp🔈 /sh/ /r/ /i/ /mp/ — Digraph Blend
spring🔈 /s/ /p/ /r/ /i/ /ng/ — 3-Letter
vs
throb🔈 /th/ /r/ /o/ /b/ — Digraph Blend
split🔈 /s/ /p/ /l/ /i/ /t/ — 3-Letter
vs
shrug🔈 /sh/ /r/ /u/ /g/ — Digraph Blend
Consonant Vowel 3-Letter Blend Digraph Blend

🎓 Practice Words

Tap each word. Is it a 3-letter blend or a digraph blend? The color tells you!

🎒strap/s/ /t/ /r/ /a/ /p/3-Letter
📄shred/sh/ /r/ /e/ /d/Digraph Blend
✂split/s/ /p/ /l/ /i/ /t/3-Letter
💓throb/th/ /r/ /o/ /b/Digraph Blend
🌸spring/s/ /p/ /r/ /i/ /ng/3-Letter
🤷shrug/sh/ /r/ /u/ /g/Digraph Blend

Tap a word above to see it broken apart:

s
t
r
a
p
▼
strap
Consonant Vowel 3-Letter Blend Digraph Blend

📚 Word Bank

3-letter blends in orange and digraph blends in emerald!

scramscrapscrub splashsplatsplit springsprintstrap stressstrictstring stripstrongstruck strungstrut shrankshredshrimp shrinkshrubshrug shrunkthrashthrill throbthrongthrust

📖 Silly Story Time!

3-letter blends in orange, digraph blends in emerald.
Mix them up and read aloud!

The

Abby had a on her bag. She to the .

Effort did a net at a in the pond. What a !

Issue did the and the mat.

Otto and his drum. He it with a !

Usher said, "I at this ! Let us and have fun!"

The End!

⭐ Sight Words Used

These common words appear in the story. Practice reading them on sight!

atheandoninattoitwithherhisshehehaddidsaidwhatletushavethis
Reading For All • Level 2, Lesson 11 • 3-Letter Blends vs Digraph Blends