Here's a breakdown:
* Consonant: A sound produced by partially or completely obstructing airflow in the vocal tract. Examples: "b", "c", "d", "f", "g", "h", "j", "k", "l", "m", "n", "p", "q", "r", "s", "t", "v", "w", "x", "y", "z"
* Beginning: The first part of a word.
* Word: A unit of language that has meaning and can stand on its own.
Examples:
* "Cat": The beginning consonant is "c".
* "Dog": The beginning consonant is "d".
* "Apple": The beginning consonant is "a" (even though it's a vowel, it's not the first sound we make when saying the word).
Understanding beginning consonants is important for:
* Pronunciation: It helps us to correctly say words.
* Phonics: It helps us to learn how letters correspond to sounds.
* Reading: It helps us to decode words and understand their meaning.