Onset is the initial consonant or consonant cluster of a syllable that comes before the vowel sound.

• A. Onset
• B. Coda
• C. Rhyme
• D. Nucleus

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is the onset, which is the initial consonant or consonant cluster that comes before the vowel in a syllable. For example, in the word cat, the onset is c. In plant, the onset is pl. Some syllables don’t have an onset at all, as in at, where the syllable starts directly with the vowel.

The other parts of a syllable help place the onset in context: the coda is the consonant or consonants after the vowel at the end of the syllable (as in cat, where the coda is t). The nucleus is the vowel sound itself. The rhyme (also called the rime) comprises the nucleus plus any following consonants, essentially everything after the onset.

So, the statement describes the initial piece before the vowel, which is exactly what the onset is, making it the best fit. Understanding this helps with decoding and word blending, since you can combine the onset with the rest of the syllable to form words.