Key learning points

1. The part of the letter that goes below the baseline is called the descender
2. Letters with descenders reach down towards the descender line
3. The letters g, j, p, q and y all start on the x-height line
4. The letters with descenders are: g, j, p, q, f and y

Common misconception

Keywords

• Descender - the part of a letter that descends below the level of the bottom of an "x"

• Baseline - this is the line that most letters sit on

• Descender line - the line below the baseline that descenders go down to

• X-height line - this is the line that x-height letters go up to

• Starting point - starting point is the place where we begin to write a letter or shape, usually at the top or left side.