Medial sounds refer to the sounds that occur in the middle of words. These sounds can be consonants or vowels and play a crucial role in pronunciation and meaning. For example, in the word banana, the medial sound is the n that appears between the first and last syllables. Understanding medial sounds is important for language development and literacy. They help in distinguishing between similar words and improving spelling skills. For instance, the medial sound in cat is different from that in cot, which changes the meaning entirely. Recognizing these sounds aids in effective communication.