Letters can be big or small — Language, 4–6 years
A letter can have a big form and a small form. We use them in different places when we write.
The same letter has two forms
A letter can be written in a big form or a small form: A and a are the same letter. The shape changes, but the sound in a word usually stays the same.
Why use a big letter?
Readers need clues to see where a sentence starts and where a person’s name begins. A big first letter gives that clue, so writing becomes easier to follow.
Change a name
Start with the name written as “ana”. First, make its first letter big: “Ana”. Now put it at the start of a sentence: “Ana has a red ball.” The name and sentence are easier to spot.
Making every letter big
It can seem sensible to make every letter big, because big shapes are easy to notice. But a whole page in capitals gives readers fewer clues and can be harder to follow, so we usually mix the forms.
On signs and labels
You see big and small letters in books, signs, name labels and birthday cards. A big first letter can show a name or a new sentence, while small letters help the rest of the writing flow.
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