---
title: "Joining Letters"
description: "Begin to join letters using diagonal and horizontal strokes, understanding which letter pairs are best left unjoined, forming letters of correct size relative to one another"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/joining-letters-mt_02DH7sGXCi
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/joining-letters-mt_02DH7sGXCi.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Joining Letters

Begin to join letters using diagonal and horizontal strokes, understanding which letter pairs are best left unjoined, forming letters of correct size relative to one another

Subject: English · Area: Handwriting & Transcription · Ages 6 to 10
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/joining-letters-mt_02DH7sGXCi

## Ready when they can

- Join 'in', 'un', 'it' with a diagonal stroke connecting the letters
- Leave letters like 'b' unjoined when followed by certain letters, explaining why
- Write with consistent letter sizing on lined paper, ascenders and descenders in proportion

## Lesson: Joining Letters

When you write cards and little stories, joining some letters helps your writing flow. That little connecting line is called a joining stroke. It goes across or diagonally, linking the end of one letter to the start of the next, so your pencil never has to lift.

**Example.** Mia writes the word "in." She finishes the down-stroke of the i, then draws a small diagonal line up into the n. Her pencil stays on the paper the whole time, so the two letters flow together.

*(drawing: The little stroke from i to n does the joining. Your pencil stays on the paper the whole time.)*

**Tip.** If a join looks tangled and the next letter is hard to read, a tiny gap can look neater.

Joins are not all diagonal. The letter o finishes high, so after an o the stroke runs straight across the top, like in 'on'. Letters like b, v and w finish high and can join across the top, like in 'bow'. If a join looks tangled and the next letter is hard to read, leave a small gap. At a gap lift the pencil and start the next letter.

**Example.** In a joined word with i or t, write the whole word first. Then lift the pencil and go back to dot the i or cross the t.

Keep your letters the right size next to each other. Tall letters like l, h, and t reach up to the top line. Letters with tails, like g and y, dip below the bottom line. The rest stay small and sit evenly between the lines.

**Recap.** Join most letters with a smooth stroke, leave a small gap when a join looks tangled and is hard to read, and keep every letter sized right on the line.

## Practice

23 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Letter formation families](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/letter-formation-families-mt_DMvKfP4uGC)
- [Forming Capital Letters](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/forming-capital-letters-mt_H7DquwQi_F)
- [Sitting, pencil grip and lowercase letters](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/sitting-pencil-grip-and-lowercase-letters-mt_WBfj79OqXz)

## Opens up

- [Writing Legibly at Speed](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/writing-legibly-at-speed-mt_2M-7dIhJOy)
- [Building Writing Stamina](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/building-writing-stamina-mt_lIs10UMkPG)