How to write the letter U

Forming the capital U

U's two sides are straight but its base is a curve in every mainstream print model, which is why sources disagree about which family it belongs in. Point out that print lowercase u usually retraces a short vertical down the right side after it returns to the midline, whereas capital U simply stops on the top line.

Start: Top line, at the left edge of the letter space

1. Pull straight down the left side, round the corner counter-clockwise along the baseline, then carry the stroke back up the right side and stop on the top line.

Forming the lowercase u

Teach u as n turned over: the same two-part shape, but with the curve at the baseline instead of the top. Its starting point still follows the ordinary rule, a line pulled down from the midline on the left.

Start: On the midline, at the left of the letter space

1. Draw a straight line down from the midline, curve it to the right along the baseline, and carry the same unbroken stroke back up to the midline on the right.
2. From the midline on the right, draw a straight line back down to the baseline.

Common mistakes with u

These are the errors that actually show up on the page, rather than a generic list. Watching for them while a child writes is far more useful than correcting the finished sheet.

• Writing it upside down as n, or reading the two letters interchangeably.
• Leaving off the second line down, so the letter reads as a tick or check mark.
• Bringing the bottom to a sharp point, which gives v.
• Starting at the baseline instead of the midline.

And with the capital U

• Turning the letter upside down into an n shape.
• Pinching the bottom into a point, which makes it a V.
• Stopping the right-hand side at the midline instead of carrying it back up to the top line.
• Beginning at the bottom of the curve rather than on the top line.
• Swapping u and n, a well-documented reversal pair.

Letters that move the same way

Downstroke that turns at the bottom: A line pulled down from the midline that turns instead of simply stopping: u curves right at the baseline and climbs back to the midline, j carries on below the baseline and hooks to the left. Both are best taught as extensions of letters the child already has (n for u, i for j).

Teaching these together is more efficient than working through the alphabet in order, because the hand is learning one movement rather than several unrelated ones.

j

Practise U with words

Once the letter is reliable on its own, move to words that start with it. Letters learned in isolation often fall apart the first time a child has to join them to anything.