Joining letters, Year 2 to Year 4
Once children can form letters securely, they move on to joining them. Here are nine of the most common pairs, with a simple diagonal or horizontal join.
What the national curriculum says
- Year 2: begin to use the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join letters, and understand which letters, when next to each other, are best left unjoined.
- Years 3 and 4: use those strokes, and work on making handwriting legible, consistent and good quality.
- The non-statutory notes add that pupils should move to a joined style once they can form letters securely with the correct orientation.
Source: National curriculum in England: English programmes of study (DfE). Paraphrased.
Nine common pairs
| Pair | Joined | How | Sheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| in | Diagonal join up from the foot of i to the start of n, then retrace down. | Make a sheet | |
| an | Diagonal join up from the foot of a to the start of n. | Make a sheet | |
| th | Join from the foot of t up to the top of h. Cross the t afterwards. | Make a sheet | |
| ch | Join from the end of c up to the top of h. | Make a sheet | |
| ck | Join from the end of c up to the top of k. | Make a sheet | |
| ll | Join from the foot of the first l up to the top of the second. | Make a sheet | |
| ee | Join from the end of the first e up to the start of the second. | Make a sheet | |
| oo | A horizontal join: leave the top of the first o and go straight across to the next. | Make a sheet | |
| ou | A horizontal join from the top of o to the start of u. | Make a sheet |
Letters best left unjoined
Not every pair joins well. Many schemes leave some letters unjoined or teach a different join. A common example in beginner joins is sh, which many teachers write as two separate letters at first. Always follow your school's scheme.
These joins are drawn with a diagonal or horizontal link from the model letters on this site. Real schemes use slightly different entry and exit strokes. Treat these as a guide for practice and not as a replacement for your school's scheme.
Joins sheet 1: in, an, th (PDF) Joins sheet 2: ch, ck, ll, ee, oo, ou (PDF)