A consonant cluster is a group of consonants with no vowel between them, like STR in street or STS in lists. Many languages do not allow this, so learners fix it in one of two ways. Some add a vowel: street becomes es-treet, spoon becomes suh-POON. In this episode: • Clusters at the start • Clusters at the end • How british speakers simplify • Step by step: slow to normal • Listening lab: after school • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: street (STREET) — We live on the next street. strong (STRONG) — a strong cup of tea strawberry (STRAW-bree) — strawberry jam stretch (STRECH) — Have a good stretch. splash (SPLASH) — Don't splash me! split (SPLIT) — Let's split the bill. scrambled eggs (SKRAM-buld EGZ) — Scrambled eggs on toast? screen (SKREEN) — Get off the screen, please. spring (SPRING) — spring cleaning spread (SPRED) — Spread the butter thinly. squeeze (SKWEEZ) — Squeeze the lemon. spoon (SPOON) — Pass me a spoon. small (SMAWL) — a small coffee texts (TEKSTS) — Did you get my texts? months (MUNTHS or MUNTS) — six months crisps (KRISPS) — a packet of crisps wasps (WOSPS) — There are wasps in the garden. the fifth (FIFTH) — on the fifth of June sixths (SIKSTHS), twelfths (TWELFTHS) — very hard, even for British speakers next door (NEKS DAW) — the neighbours next door last night (LAHS NAIT) — I slept badly last night. first thing (FURS THING) — I'll do it first thing tomorrow (early in the morning). just now (JUS NOW) — She left just now. must be (MUS BEE) — That must be Nan. facts (FAKS) — the facts texts (TEKSS) — a long S, but never just TEK Real British English: the complete spoken course for learners worldwide — modern British accent, everyday grammar, phrasal verbs, idioms, slang, he/she/it for things, and real conversations at home. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.