Use the chapter at the depth you need
This is a rich revision chapter rather than a single-period script. Revisit sections and games until letter recognition and joining decisions become automatic.
Core
- Recognise all 28 letters.
- Distinguish isolated, initial, medial and final forms.
- Identify the six non-connecting letters.
Develop
- Build words by applying joining rules.
- Recognise letters inside unfamiliar words.
- Write common letter families accurately.
Stretch
- Explain why a word breaks at a particular point.
- Analyse letter shape changes independently.
- Read and copy short unvowelled words accurately.
All 28 Arabic letters
Arabic is written from right to left. Letter names remain the same, but most letters change shape according to their position in a word.
| No. | Name | Isolated | Initial | Medial | Final | Connects to following letter? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alif | ا / أ | ا / أ | ـا / ـأ | ـا / ـأ | No |
| 2 | Bāʾ | ب | بـ | ـبـ | ـب | Yes |
| 3 | Tāʾ | ت | تـ | ـتـ | ـت | Yes |
| 4 | Thāʾ | ث | ثـ | ـثـ | ـث | Yes |
| 5 | Jīm | ج | جـ | ـجـ | ـج | Yes |
| 6 | Ḥāʾ | ح | حـ | ـحـ | ـح | Yes |
| 7 | Khāʾ | خ | خـ | ـخـ | ـخ | Yes |
| 8 | Dāl | د | د | ـد | ـد | No |
| 9 | Dhāl | ذ | ذ | ـذ | ـذ | No |
| 10 | Rāʾ | ر | ر | ـر | ـر | No |
| 11 | Zāy | ز | ز | ـز | ـز | No |
| 12 | Sīn | س | سـ | ـسـ | ـس | Yes |
| 13 | Shīn | ش | شـ | ـشـ | ـش | Yes |
| 14 | Ṣād | ص | صـ | ـصـ | ـص | Yes |
| 15 | Ḍād | ض | ضـ | ـضـ | ـض | Yes |
| 16 | Ṭāʾ | ط | طـ | ـطـ | ـط | Yes |
| 17 | Ẓāʾ | ظ | ظـ | ـظـ | ـظ | Yes |
| 18 | ʿAyn | ع | عـ | ـعـ | ـع | Yes |
| 19 | Ghayn | غ | غـ | ـغـ | ـغ | Yes |
| 20 | Fāʾ | ف | فـ | ـفـ | ـف | Yes |
| 21 | Qāf | ق | قـ | ـقـ | ـق | Yes |
| 22 | Kāf | ك | كـ | ـكـ | ـك | Yes |
| 23 | Lām | ل | لـ | ـلـ | ـل | Yes |
| 24 | Mīm | م | مـ | ـمـ | ـم | Yes |
| 25 | Nūn | ن | نـ | ـنـ | ـن | Yes |
| 26 | Hāʾ | ه | هـ | ـهـ | ـه | Yes |
| 27 | Wāw | و | و | ـو | ـو | No |
| 28 | Yāʾ | ي | يـ | ـيـ | ـي | Yes |
Quick Check — recognise the letters
Four contextual positions
The letter stands alone.
The letter begins a connected sequence.
The letter connects on both sides.
The letter ends a connected sequence.
Position check
How letters join
Arabic letters normally connect to the letter before them and the letter after them, provided both letters permit the connection.
Fully connected
كـ + ـتـ + ـب
One break
The و does not connect to ر.
Several breaks
ز, ا and ر break forward connections.
Joining decisions
The six forward non-connectors
These letters can connect to the letter before them, but they never connect to the letter that follows them.
| Word | Where is the break? | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| وَلَد | after و | Wāw does not connect forward. |
| مَدْرَسَة | after د | Dāl does not connect to Rāʾ. |
| زَهْرَة | after ز and ر | Both are forward non-connectors. |
| قُرْآن | after ر and آ | Rāʾ and Alif do not connect forward. |
Non-connector check
Learn families, not isolated pictures
Many Arabic letters share the same body shape. Dots distinguish members of the family.
Bāʾ family
Similar bowls and joining strokes; dot patterns distinguish them.
Jīm family
Same body: dot below, no dot, dot above.
Dāl family
Same non-connecting body; Dhāl has a dot.
Rāʾ family
Same non-connecting body; Zāy has a dot.
Sīn family
Shīn has three dots above.
Ṣād family
Ḍād adds one dot above.
Ṭāʾ family
Ẓāʾ adds one dot above.
ʿAyn family
Ghayn adds one dot above.
Family check
Write with direction, proportion and joining control
Stroke discipline
- Begin on the right.
- Keep dots clear and correctly placed.
- Maintain the writing line.
- Do not add spaces inside a connected sequence.
- Leave a visible break only after a non-connector.
Copy–cover–write–check
- Copy the word carefully.
- Cover it.
- Write it from memory.
- Check every joining boundary.
- Circle the letters that caused errors.
Complete the copy–cover–write–check task on paper, then return here to mark it complete.
Interactive tracing practice
Trace directly over the pale Arabic forms using a mouse, finger or stylus.
Explore one letter in four positions
Choose a letter
Read, listen, speak and write through the script
Reading — letter hunt
- Find every non-connector.
- Circle letters in medial position.
- Underline final letters.
- Explain the visible break in two words.
Listening — sound to letter
Listen without looking. Ask a partner or reader to say each letter name twice, then write the correct isolated letter in order.
Listening script
بَاءٌ · ثَاءٌ · خَاءٌ · ذَالٌ · شِينٌ · ضَادٌ · غَيْنٌ · قَافٌ · نُونٌ · يَاءٌ
Check answers
ب · ث · خ · ذ · ش · ض · غ · ق · ن · ي
Write the ten isolated letters on paper in the order you hear them, then return here to check your answers and mark the task complete.
Speaking — explain the join
Choose three words and explain:
- which letters connect;
- which letters break the sequence;
- which letter is initial, medial or final.
Writing — script challenge
Write eight words containing:
- one fully connected word;
- two words with one break;
- one word with two breaks;
- at least six different letter families.
Word count: 0
Write the eight words on paper, check that they meet all four script conditions, then return here and mark the task complete.
Final mastery check
Alphabet & Letter Positions Review
🎉 Script Mastery 01 complete
If you can do these confidently, you have mastered this chapter:
- ✅ recognise all 28 letters;
- ✅ identify isolated, initial, medial and final forms;
- ✅ remember the six forward non-connectors;
- ✅ explain where and why words break;
- ✅ write connected sequences clearly;
- ✅ recognise letter families quickly;
- ⭐ complete the Script Playground challenges.