End Blends: Simple Structured Literacy Practice

End blends are words that finish in two different consonants AND each letter will say its individual sound.

N E S T 🪺

After reading a mix of CVC words like cat + dog and beginning blends like snap 🫰— end blends are another step in learning to read new words. It is a step toward reading longer, more complex words with confidence!

Practice with words! …

… Or practice with pictures!

melt, lamp, hand, left, tent, nest, sand, gift, mask

One way to practice and support students with beginning blends

For example, before working with Nic on end blends, we often review an important goal: hearing all four sounds in a word. I model this during practice, showing him how to listen for and say two end consonant sounds. With practice, Nic starts to do this on his own.

This review helps him decode new words in sentences that include end blends.

If he stumbles on a word like best, I might offer a simple hint:

“Listen to the end—can you hear two sounds? Try saying /s/ /t/ together.”

Or another clue to check:

“Can you find the vowel? Are there two consonants in at the end of it? That means it is an end blend!”

These prompts remind Nic to break the word into parts—either by sound or by sight—and help him become more independent when reading words with beginning blends. This strategy helps him tackle unfamiliar words in books and stories.

This might start with focusing on a set of end blends

🌟soft + left + gift

🌟melt + belt + tilt

🌟bump + jump + chomp

🌟send + pond + bend

🌟hint + tent + mint 

🌟desk + mask + whisk

🌟fast + list + best

or a mix of these blends depending on the need of a quick review of this skill or starting for the first time.

Why Beginning Blends Matter

Recognizing end blends is more than just a phonics skill—it’s a building block for reading longer and more complex words. By learning to hear each sound and blend them smoothly, your child becomes a more fluent and confident reader. 🧠🌸