Every print letter is made of just a few kinds of strokes: lines down, lines across, slants and circles. A stroke is one move of the pencil, from the time it touches the paper until it lifts.
Key idea
Each letter has its strokes in an order, and each stroke has a start and a direction. The green 1 shows where to begin.
Why it works
When you make each letter the same way every time, your hand learns it, and writing gets faster and neater. Starting in the same place also keeps letters the same size.
Worked example: Count the strokes
How many strokes make capital E?
- A line down.
- A line across the top.
- A line across the middle.
- A line across the bottom.
Answer: Four strokes.
Common mistake
Drawing a letter like a picture, starting anywhere and going any way. Look for the green 1 and the arrows, and make the strokes in that order.
For the grown-up. Tracing on the screen is a warm-up; real paper and pencil come next. Print a page from Practice sheets with gray letters to trace. Short, frequent practice (five or ten minutes) works better than long sessions.