Commas and decimals, times and ranges, and letters after numbers.
A comma or a period inside a number keeps the number going, so “1,000” and “3.5” each need only one numeric indicator.
A space, a hyphen, a colon or a slash ends the number. A new number after it gets its own numeric indicator, as in the time 5:30 or the range 3-4.
Watch for letters right after a number. Because a to j double as digits, a lowercase a to j written straight after a number needs the grade 1 indicator (dots 5, 6) first, so “3b” can’t be misread as 32. Letters k to z don’t need it (“3rd”), and neither do capitals, because the capital indicator already ends the number (“4B”).
This is where you’ll meet the grade 1 indicator most often in uncontracted braille. You may also see it before a question mark at the start of a word or after a hyphen or dash.
Each example is shown cell by cell, with what each cell stands for underneath.
Braille is read by touch and written dot by dot. Recreate each character below in the writer. The best way to make it stick.
Character 1 of 3
Keys F D S and J K L (or 1–6) raise dots · Enter checks
Finish writing the characters above, then this practice activity will help it stick.
Tip If a letter right after a number could be a digit, it needs the grade 1 indicator.