T and D occur so frequently in words of daily use, and the representation of those letters, by writing their full phonographic outlines, is often so cumbrous, that a shorter way of expressing their sounds was devised early in the history of phonography. It is done by halving the consonant which immediately precedes T or D, and is termed the Halving Principle. Therefore, all full-sized consonants, whether simple or compound, excepting Ing and Emb or Emp, when halved, express the addition of either T or D. Signs 1 to 41 in Exercise.

Ing nor Emb and Emp, not being halved, when the sound D is required to be added to the light strokes of M and N, those letters should also be made heavy, besides being halved. Signs 9 and 10. When the sound of the letter T is required to be added, the signs should remain slight. Signs 8 and 11.

Always write the light stroke L-t (sign 6) upwards, and the heavy stroke L-r-d (sign 7) downwards.

A halved S is sometimes more conveniently stricken upwards than downwards, as in sign 59.

In making use of the half-length consonants, care should be taken that such use does not become an abuse. For instance, while the word might may be rightly written as in sign 11 in Exercise, mighty must be written as in sign 12, because, though both words possess the same phonographic consonants (M and T), yet there is a concluding vowel sound in mighty which renders it a necessity, for complete pronunciation and vocalization, that the extended form be employed. This rule applies to all words terminating with a vowel sound.

T or D are added after N or V hooks, by shortening the main consonant to which the hook in question occurs, as in signs 14, 27, 31, 32, 43 and 57. This is really equivalent to shortening the entire sign.

In signs 42 and 43 the hook V is made in the most convenient shape. It will not, so made, clash with any other hook.