The Palmer Method of Business Writing · Lesson 30 · Part 6: a, d, g, q, the loop letters and L
30. Drill 31: small d, g and q
Goal: Your child writes d, g and q with loops of the right length, so they don't run into the lines above and below.
You'll need
- Wide-ruled lined paper (several sheets)
- A sharp pencil or a smooth gel pen
- The book open at today's page
- A watch, clock or phone timer that shows seconds (only for the optional speed check)
What's in the book
Lesson 30 is drill 31, rows of small d, g and q, with the lengths of their loops measured in "spaces" (the height of small o).
The lesson, step by step
Warm up
Three to five minutes: compact ovals (drill 3), a line of small o (drill 11) and a line of small m (drill 14). This is the book's daily opening from now on.
Look at the model
Open the book page. Look at drill 31. Taking small o as one space: the loop of g goes three spaces below the line; q and a short g go two; the loop of d goes about two and a half spaces up.
Small d
Two lines of d in groups of five, counting 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10.
Optional speed target: sixty-five to seventy a minute.
Small g and q
Two lines of g (sixty to sixty-five a minute), then two lines of q (about fifty a minute).
Watch for
Writing which is good in other respects is often spoiled in the written page because the loops are too long, extending into the lines above and below.
Gentle check and finish
Check one of each letter against the book with a ruler: how many spaces up or down? Finish by writing "dog" or "good".