You know all 26 small letters now. Each one has a size, from The Lines We Write On: tall, short or with a tail.
| Kind | Letters | Where they go |
|---|---|---|
| Tall | b d f h k l t | up to the top line |
| Short | a c e i m n o r s u v w x z | up to the middle line |
| Tail | g j p q y | down below the baseline |
Key idea
Tall letters touch the top line, short letters stop at the middle line, and tails hang below the baseline.
Why it works
Readers know words partly by their shapes: the ups and downs. When sizes are right, a word like happy is easy to read even from across the room.
Worked example: Sort the word
Which letters in jump are tall, short and tail letters?
- j has a tail.
- u and m are short.
- p has a tail.
- No letter in jump is tall.
Answer: Tails: j and p. Short: u and m.
Common mistake
Letting tails sit on the baseline, so g looks like a and y looks like v. Check each tail letter: does it hang below the line?
For the grown-up. On lined paper, have your child color the space between the baseline and middle line lightly. Short letters live in the colored band.