Onsets

Onsets are the initial sounds or clusters of sounds at the beginning of a syllable or word. For example, in the word "stop," the onset is "st," which includes the 's' and 't' sounds. Onsets help distinguish different words and syllables and are essential for the pronunciation and rhythm of speech. They can be a single consonant (like "b" in "bat") or a combination of consonants (like "cl" in "climb"). Understanding onsets is important in language learning, speech therapy, and phonetics to analyze and improve spoken communication.