Which description fits consonant blends?

The description that fits consonant blends is that two consonants appear together while each retains its individual sound. This means that in a consonant blend, such as "bl" in "black" or "str" in "street," each consonant is pronounced clearly and distinctly alongside the other. This is crucial for understanding phonics and decoding in reading, as recognizing these sounds helps students to break down and read new words more easily.

In contrast, the first option refers to consonant digraphs, where two consonants create a new sound together, such as "ch" in "chair." The second option involves a situation where one consonant is silent, which is not applicable to consonant blends. The last option discusses vowel combinations rather than consonants, focusing on how two vowels can create a single sound together, which is a different concept altogether. Recognizing these distinctions is important in developing phonemic awareness and literacy skills in students.