✏️ WritingLevel 1Lesson 2
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Writing Letters Neatly

Lesson preview: the Mini Lesson and Vocabulary are open to everyone. Guided practice, exercises, the parent checklist and the printable PDF worksheet come with full access (free 7-day trial or membership).

What you will learn

  • 1Sort letters into round, tall, and other groups
  • 2Start each letter at the correct position and keep it sitting on the baseline
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Mini Lesson

The 26 letters of the alphabet are easier to learn when you sort them into groups. Each group starts the same way — once you know the trick, the whole group becomes simple!

Round letters — start at the 2 o'clock position

  • Letters: a c d e g o q
  • Make a curved stroke counter-clockwise first.
  • Keep the curve touching the baseline at the bottom.

Tall letters — start at the top line

  • Letters: b f h k l t
  • Begin with a tall downstroke from the top line.
  • Tall letters reach all the way to the top line.

Other letters — start at the midline

  • Letters: i j m n p r s u v w x y z
  • These letters start at the midline. The tails of p, j, y go below the baseline.
  • Keep them the same size as each other.

The baseline rule

  • Every letter must sit on the baseline — only the tails of g, j, p, q, y go below it.
  • Letters that float or sink below the line look untidy.
  • Go slowly and watch the line as you write.

Letter Practice — What to do on paper

  1. Write a row of round letters: a c d e g o q — start each curve at 2 o'clock (e starts with a line across the middle).
  2. Write a row of tall letters: b f h k l t — start each one at the top line.
  3. Write a row of other letters: m n s v w x y z — keep them the same height.
  4. Check that every letter is sitting on the baseline.
  5. Circle your neatest letter in each row.

Words to know

Baseline

The solid bottom line that every letter must sit on

e.g. a, c, m, n all rest on the baseline

Midline

The dashed line in the middle — the top of short letters

e.g. a, m, n reach up to the midline

Top line

The top line — where tall letters reach

e.g. b, h, l reach up to the top line

Writing lines with a letter formed stroke by strokeThree ruled writing guides — top line, dashed midline, and baseline — with the letter a formed using numbered arrows showing stroke order.Writing Linestopmidbase12aStart · curve · downstrokeEvery letter sits on the baseline.
Form the letter a with two strokes — curve, then downstroke.
Neat letters versus messy lettersTwo panels. The neat panel shows evenly sized letters sitting on the baseline. The messy panel shows letters that are too big, too small, and floating or sinking below the line.Neata m neven sizeon the baselineMessyamnuneven sizesoff the baseline
Neat letters sit on the baseline. Messy letters float or sink.
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Remember: Start in the right spot. Slow writing is neat writing. Ask yourself: "Did I start in the right place? Is my letter sitting on the baseline?"

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← Lesson 1: Holding a Pencil CorrectlyLesson 3: Capital and Lowercase Letters →