Gregg Speed Studies/Speed Study 7

by John Robert Gregg

Layout 2

SPEED STUDY VII
SEVENTH LESSON

The Blended Consonants.—From the artistic viewpoint, the blended consonants form one of the most attractive features of the system. But this is merely incidental; their great practical value is the important thing.

The "Ten-den," "Tem-dem" Blends.—A very simple illustration will enable the student to learn with certainty the direction each form takes. Simply take note of the primary characters from which the blend is developed. The length of the curve is determined in each case by the n or m, and not by the t or d. Thus, a curved blend containing an n would be short, while if it contained an m it would be long—because n is short and m is long.

Length and Slant.—The ten-denis the length of p; the tem-dem the length of b; the ent-end the length of f; the emt-emd the length of v. Compare and study the following, noting particularly length and slant:

P	B	Ten-den	Tem-dem	F	V	Ent-end	Emt-emd
?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?

Study the comparative sizes in the following:

th	?	th	?
ten-den	?	tem-dem	?
ent-end	?	emt-emd	?

When ten-den or tem-dem begin a word an easy, graceful, and compact form is secured by an outward curve at the beginning, thus:

Right way		Wrong way
temper	?	temper	?
tenancy	?	tenancy	?

"Def-dev," "Gent-gend."—The def blend begins with d, hence it is written upward; the gent-gend begins with the sound of j, hence is written downward. The first consonant in the blend determines direction. Study the following illustrations, noting particularly the size, formation and slant:

this

?

def-dev

?

gent-gend

?

The blends def-dev-tive and gent-gend are often called egg-shaped characters. These blends should be narrow and should curve at the beginning and at the end, thus:

Practice the following common words which bring into use the foregoing blends:

Drill 1

Key: latent, tendency, timid, threaten, brand, trained, restive, smitten, attend, freedom, soothe, sudden, tinsel, gentle, genteel, motive, native, ripened, happened, spent, defeat, divide, deficit, attentive, defame.

The principal faults in the execution of these blends are: making the curves too flat; failure to curve at the beginning and end, thus leaving too great a space between the starting and finishing points; improper slant.

"Men-Mem," "Ted-Ded-Det."—The blends for men-mem, ted-ded-det require no special treatment; the principal thing is to observe size.

t	?	d	?	ted-ded-det	?
n	?	m	?	men-mem	?

Practice the following words containing these combinations:

Drill 2

Key: memory, seated, many, minute, demon, human, immense, waited, remain, maintain, steady, detach.

The "Ses" Blends.—The ses blends are simply combinations of the two s's. These graceful, "wave-like" characters should not be given a very deep curvature. Compare:

Right way:	misses	?	pieces	?
Wrong way:	misses	?	pieces	?

In joining ses after a circle vowel, following or preceding another consonant, the first of the s's may be lost in forming part of the circle, thus:

Drill 3

Key: faces, masses, cases, races, places, teases, leases, guesses, defaces. When ses precedes or follows a consonant or hook-vowel, both s's are written, but with one movement. The following will show the application:

Drill 4

Key: fences, losses, doses, loses, senses, tosses, condenses, romances. The combination xs occurs occasionally. Observe the joining.

Drill 5

Key: mixes, boxes, fixes, foxes, taxes, vexes, sexes. When ted, ded, or ed is indicated with a disjoined t, it should be written upward quite close to the preceding character.

Drill 6

Key: demanded, divided, talented, guided, printed, fainted, daunted.

BUSINESS LETTERS

The-attention, printing, binding, classes, help, before-the, notice, monthly, I-have-your-letter, plans, season's, I-shall-be-glad, to-take, I-will pay, does-not, appeal, at-this-time, birth, ticket, attend, sale, to-miss, we-inclose, prices, cotton, linen, suitings, you-will-need, shelves.

We-know, will-please, shall-we-ship, these-goods, cases, you-will-like, ready, early, and-will-be, at-that-time, if-you-wish, shop, ink, paper, every-day, you-are-saving, books, that-it-is, tennis, rackets, we-could-have, windows, sell, write-us, back, to-us, it-must-be, of-this-month.