What is an initial blend?

An initial blend refers to a combination of two or more sounds or phonemes that occur at the beginning of a Word. In linguistics, initial blends typically involve consonants that are pronounced together, such as "bl" in "black" or "str" in "street." These blends create unique sounds that contribute to the distinct pronunciation and meaning of Words. Understanding initial blends is important in phonics and literacy education, as they help with decoding and spelling.