What are consonant blends?

Consonant blends are groups of two or three consonants that come together in a word, where each consonant retains its individual sound, but they combine to create a blended sound that is perceived as a unit. For example, in the word "blend," the sounds of the letters 'b,' 'l,' 'e,' 'n,' and 'd' are all pronounced as they are, which distinguishes them from digraphs where two letters together make a single sound, like 'sh' in "shoe."

The aspect of maintaining distinct sounds is what separates consonant blends from other types of sound combinations, as opposed to the notions of vowel sounds, single consonants, or general letter collections that are not specifically focused on consonant sound groupings. Thus, the definition provided in the correct answer accurately encapsulates the concept of consonant blends.