7. In shorthand there are twelve distinct vowel sounds, which are arranged in four groups, and three closely related sounds are placed in each group. In this lesson we have the first two groups, which for convenience are named the A group and the E group.

Memory aid:

The A Group

The E Group

Note: The first sound in the E group of vowels is the short i, heard in din, and should not be confused with long i, heard in dine, which will be given later.

8. Marking Vowels. The vowels are grouped according to similarity in sound. The large circle expresses three sounds of a. The short sound is unmarked, the medium sound is marked with a dot, and the long sound with a short dash, as shown in paragraph 7. This system of marking is used in all vowel groups uniformly.
The dot and dash are occasionally needed to indicate the exact sounds in unfamiliar or isolated words, but otherwise they are seldom used.

Picturing Writing Motion

9. Frequently we shall have to refer to writing motion. The curved characters in this lesson are taken from horizontal ovals, one written with right motion, the other with left. The right motion is clockwise; the left, counterclockwise.

10. Characters taken from the left-motion oval are called left-motion, because the rotation is from left to right; characters taken from the right-motion oval are called right-motion for a like reason; thus:

The terms 'left motion' and 'right motion' refer to the rotation in movement, and not to the direction.

How Circles Are Joined

The following movement drills are intended to develop skill in the joining of circles.

11. Circles Joined to Single Strokes. At the beginning or end of a single curve, the circle is placed inside the curve. Let us examine more closely how to join a circle to a curve, using a-k, a-g, r-a, and l-a.

The dotted line shows the position of the circle in relation to the curve. (Remember, the dotted line in r-a and l-a does not represent the line of writing. The base of the r and of the l rests on the line of writing.)
The circle joins at a right angle, shown by the arrows above.


Practice with the following sentences:

Key: He lay there in the air. I cannot go. I will not go. Ray is ill. He cannot hear Lee.

12. At the beginning or end of a single straight stroke, the circle is written with right motion. Observe closely the joinings a-d, d-a, a-m, and m-a.

In joining the circle to a straight line, start and finish as shown by the dotted lines. Keep straight lines absolutely straight.

Practice with the following sentences:

Key: I am aiming at him. I hit him in the knee. Eddy is aiming at me. He hit me in the head.

13. Reading and Dictation Practice

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