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Grade 3 Braille

This page has the following sub-sections:

Go beyond grade 2 - learn grade 3 braille. Grade 3 braille is a form of braille shorthand. It is similar to grade 2 braille in that it uses contractions and abbreviations to save space; however, it goes far beyond grade 2 in the shere number of contractions - over 300 of them - and also uses omitted vowels and decreased spacing between words and paragraphs to save space. Grade 3 braille is used almost solely for personal notes and notetaking using a slate and stylus, brailler, or electronic notetaker. There are very few - if any - books published in grade 3 braille.

Below is a list of all the contractions, abbreviations, and some of the rules of grade 3 braille. This informaiton should be enough to get you started. If you would like more practice in reading grade 3 braille, or want to know the entire code (grade 3 braille is not, by the way, an official code such as grade 2 or Nemeth), below are some resources.

Resources

The Hadley School for the Blind offers a course in grade 3 braille through distance education. Although neither Jenny or I have ever taken this course, both of us have taken other courses through Hadley and can say that their quality of teaching and materials is excellent.

Abbreviations

Note: If you have the simbraille font (you can download the font here), the braille signs will appear under the ASCII column. If you don't have this font, the ASCII characters will appear in regular letters, rather than braille cells. If you use a refreshable braille display, make sure your screen reader is set to display computer braille (not grade 1 or 2) so that the grade 3 braille signs will be displayed properly in braille.

Dot NumbersWordASCII
1, 1-4, 1-4accountacc
1, 1-4, 1-3acknowledgeack
1, 1-2-4-5, 1-2-3-5agreeagr
1, 1-3-4-5, 2-3-4answerans
1, 1-3-4-5, 1-3-4-6anxiousanx
1-2, 5-6, 2-3-4businessb/
1-2, 1-4-5-6bothb?
1-4, 1-2-4-5-6certainc]
1-6, 1-6church**
1-4-5, 2-3-5, 1-4difficultd6c
1-5, 1-2-6especiale<
1-5every (e.g. e(one), ebody, e(th)(ing), etc.)e
1-3-4-6, 1-4-5, 3-4-6exceedingxd+
1-2-4, 2-4-5-6fewfw
1-2-4, 1-2-3-5, 1-2-3-4-5frequentfrq
1-2-4-5, 2-6generalg5
1-2-4-5, 2-3-4-5getgt
1-2-4-5, 1-3-5, 1-2-3-6governgov
3-5, 1-4-5indeed9d
1-2-5, 1-2-3, 1-2-3-4helphlp
1-2-5, 1-3-4, 1-5homehme
1-2-5, 1-2-3-4, 1-5hopehpe
1-2-3, 2-3-4-5letlt
2-4-5, 3-6justicej-
1-2-3, 2-4-5-6, 1-5-6likewiselw:
1-2-3, 1-3looklk
1-3-4, 1-3-4membermm
1-3-4, 1-3-5moreovermo
1-3-4-5, 2-4-5-6newnw
1-3-4-5, 1-2-3-5nornr
1-3-4-5, 1-2-3-5, 1-4-5-6northnr?
1-3-4-5, 3-4-6notwithstandingn+
1-3-5ono
1-3-5, 3-6onceo-
5, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-5particular"pr
1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5putpt
1-2-3-4, 3-4-5-6possiblep#
1-2-3-4, 4-6, 1-3-4-5-6possiblyp.y
4-5-6, 1-2-3-4, 3-4-5-6probable_p#
4-5-6, 1-2-3-4, 4-6, 1-3-4-5-6probably_p.y
2-3-4, 1-2-4-5, 1-3-4-5signsgn
2-3-4, 2-3-5-6, 3-4suggestions7/
2-3-4, 1-3-4-5sonsn
2-3-4, 1-2-5, 2-4-6somehowsh{
2-3-4, 2-3-4-5, 2-3-4sometimessts
2-3-4, 1-2, 2-4-5, 1-4, 2-3-4-5subjectsbjct
2-3-4-6, 1-2-4therefore!f
1-4-5-6, 1-3think?k
1-4-5-6, 2-3-4thus?s
2-3-4-5, 1-3tooktk
2-3-4-5, 1-2-3-5, 3-4trusttr/
2-3-4-5, 1-2-3-5, 1-4-5-6truthtr?
2-3-4-5, 1-2-3-5, 1-3-4-5turntrn
1-2-3-6, 1-2-3valuevl
1-2-3-6, 1-2-3, 3-4-5-6valuablevl#
1-2-3-6, 3-4-5variousv>
1-5-6, 1-2-3-5wherever:r
1-5-6, 1-2-4wherefore:f
1-5-6, 1-3-4whom:m
2-4-5-6, 3-4westw/
2-4-5-6, 1-3-4, 1-3-4-5womanwmn
2-4-5-6, 1-3-4, 2-6womenwm5
1-3-4-5-6, 1-4-5yesterdayyd

Below are some "outlined" words using the contractions from the Contractions section below. See the Rules sections to see the rules for outlining your own words.

Dot NumbersWordASCII
1-2-4-5, 1-2-3-5, 4-6, 1-3-4-5-6agreablygr.y
5, 1-2-6, 1-2espcially / speciallye
5, 1-2-6, 2-3specialty"<2
1-2-5, 1-2-4-5-6, 1-2-4herselfh]f
1-3-4, 1-3-4-5-6, 1-2-4myselfmyf
1-3-4-5-6, 1-2-3-5, 1-2-4yourselfyrf
2-4, 1-3-4, 1-3-4, 4-5immediatelyimm^
1-2-3, 4-5likelyl^
1-2-3, 2-4-5-6, 1-5-6likewiselw:
2-4-6, 1-3-4, 1-3-4remember{mm
4-5-6, 1-3-4-5, 4-6nevertheless_n.
1-3-4-5, 3-5-6noten0
1-3-5, 3-6onceo-
1-3-5, 4-5onlyo^
4-5, 1-3-5, 2-4-5-6, 1-5-6otherwise^ow:
4, 1-2-3-4, 2-3-4present@ps
4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-6prevent@pv
1-2-3-4, 4-6, 1-3-4-5-6possiblyp.y
4-5-6, 1-2-3-4, 4-6, 1-3-4-5-6probably_p.y
1-2-3-5, 1-2-3-4-5requirementrq
2-3-4, 1-2-4-6somewhats$
3-4-6, 4-6unless+.
3-4-6, 2-3-4-5until+t
1-2-4-6, 5, 1-5whatever$"e

Contractions

There are over 300 contractions in Grade 3 braille. To make them easier to learn, they have been broken up into different groups.

The chart below shows the "alphabet" contractions, based on the 26 letters of the alphabet.

Dot NumbersWordASCII
4, 1act@a
4-5, 1appear^a
5, 1among"a
4-5-6, 1all_a
4, 1-2better@b
4-5, 1-2bear^b
5, 1-2bring"b
4-5-6, 1-2brought_b
4, 1-4course@c
4-5, 1-4clear^c
5, 1-4christ"c
4-5-6, 1-4cannot_c
4, 1-4-5doing@d
4-5, 1-4-5does^d
5, 1-4-5day"d
4-5-6, 1-4-5did / done_d
4, 1-5etcetera@e
4-5, 1-5each^e
5, 1-5ever"e
4-5-6, 1-5even_e
4, 1-2-4first@f
4-5, 1-2-4fear^f
5, 1-2-4father"f
4-5-6, 1-2-4follow_f
4, 1-2-4-5going@g
4-5, 1-2-4-5goes^g
5, 1-2-4-5god"g
4-5-6, 1-2-4-5gone_g
4, 1-2-5having@h
4-5, 1-2-5has^h
5, 1-2-5here"h
4-5-6, 1-2-5had_h
4, 2-4if@i
4-5, 2-4idea^i
5, 2-4import"i
4-5-6, 2-4improve_i
4, 2-4-5join@j
4-5, 2-4-5judge^j
5, 2-4-5jesus"j
4-5-6, 2-4-5judgement_j
4, 1-3kind@k
4-5, 1-3keep^k
5, 1-3know"k
4-5-6, 1-3knew / known_k
4, 1-2-3life@l
4-5, 1-2-3least^l
5, 1-2-3lord"l
4-5-6, 1-2-3long_l
4, 1-3-4may@m
4-5, 1-3-4most^m
5, 1-3-4mother"m
4-5-6, 1-3-4many_m
4, 1-3-4-5next@n
4-5, 1-3-4-5near^n
5, 1-3-4-5name"n
4-5-6, 1-3-4-5never_n
4, 1-3-5old@o
4-5, 1-3-5other^o
5, 1-3-5one"o
4-5-6, 1-3-5over_o
4, 1-2-3-4pre@p
4-5, 1-2-3-4please^p
5, 1-2-3-4part"p
4-5-6, 1-2-3-4pro_p
4, 1-2-3-4-5quite@q
4-5, 1-2-3-4-5quick^q
5, 1-2-3-4-5question"q
4-5-6, 1-2-3-4-5quality_q
4, 1-2-3-5represent@r
4-5, 1-2-3-5read^r
5, 1-2-3-5right"r
4-5-6, 1-2-3-5regular_r
4, 2-3-4same@s
4-5, 2-3-4sea / see^s
5, 2-3-4some"s
4-5-6, 2-3-4spirit_s
4, 2-3-4-5true@t
4-5, 2-3-4-5trust^t
5, 2-3-4-5time"t
4-5-6, 2-3-4-5truly_t
4, 1-3-6up@u
4-5, 1-3-6upon^u
5, 1-3-6under"u
4-5-6, 1-3-6unto_u
4, 1-2-3-6live@v
4-5, 1-2-3-6leave^v
5, 1-2-3-6love"v
4-5-6, 1-2-3-6left_v
4, 2-4-5-6willing@w
4-5, 2-4-5-6word^w
5, 2-4-5-6work"w
4-5-6, 2-4-5-6world_w
4, 1-3-4-6except@x
4-5, 1-3-4-6extreme^x
5, 1-3-4-6extra"x
4-5-6, 1-3-4-6extreme_x
4, 1-3-4-5-6yet@y
4-5, 1-3-4-5-6year^y
5, 1-3-4-5-6young"y
4-5-6, 1-3-4-5-6your_y
4, 1-3-5-6side@z
4-5, 1-3-5-6seem^z
5, 1-3-5-6ask"z
4-5-6, 1-3-5-6soon_z

The table below shows one-cell contractions.

Dot NumbersWordASCII
1-2-6them<
2-4-6now{
3-4-5me>
1-2-4-6what$
3-4-6or+
1-2-4-5-6we}
3-4-5-6no#

The table below shows the two-cell contractions.

Dot NumbersWordASCII
4, 1-2-3-4-6any@&
4-5, 1-2-3-4-6anybody^&
5, 1-2-3-4-6anyone"&
4-5-6, 1-2-3-4-6anything_&
4, 1-2-3-4-5-6forget@=
4-5, 1-2-3-4-5-6fortune^=
5, 1-2-3-4-5-6foreign"=
4-5-6, 1-2-3-4-5-6fortunate_=
4, 1-2-3-5-6offer@(
4-5, 1-2-3-5-6office^(
5, 1-2-3-5-6often"(
4-5-6, 1-2-3-5-6official_(
4, 2-3-4-6then@!
4-5, 2-3-4-6these^!
5, 2-3-4-6there"!
4-5-6, 2-3-4-6their_!
4, 2-3-4-5-6within@)
4-5, 2-3-4-5-6without^)
5, 2-3-4-5-6make")
4-5-6, 2-3-4-5-6made_)
4, 1-6change@*
4-5, 1-6chief^*
5, 1-6character"*
4-5-6, 1-6charge_*
4, 1-2-6they@<
4-5, 1-2-6speak^<
5, 1-2-6special"<
4-5-6, 1-2-6spoke / spoken_<
4, 1-4-6she@%
4-5, 1-4-6share^%
5, 1-4-6short"%
4-5-6, 1-4-6shalt_%
4, 1-4-5-6than@?
4-5, 1-4-5-6those^?
5, 1-4-5-6through"?
4-5-6, 1-4-5-6though_?
4, 1-5-6who@:
4-5, 1-5-6whose^:
5, 1-5-6where":
4-5-6, 1-5-6whole_:
4, 1-2-4-6when@$
4-5, 1-2-4-6whether^$
5, 1-2-4-6why"$
4-5-6, 1-2-4-6while_$
4, 1-2-4-5-6want@]
4-5, 1-2-4-5-6weak / week^]
5, 1-2-4-5-6went"]
4-5-6, 1-2-4-5-6well_]
4, 1-2-5-6outside@\
4-5, 1-2-5-6ounce^\
5, 1-2-5-6ought"\
4-5-6, 1-2-5-6our_\
4, 2-4-6own@{
4-5, 2-4-6however^{
5, 2-4-6how"{
4-5-6, 2-4-6allow_{
4, 3-4strange@/
4-5, 3-4strength^/
5, 3-4straight"/
4-5-6, 3-4strong_/
4, 3-4-6origin@+
4-5, 3-4-6ordinary^+
5, 3-4-6order"+
4-5-6, 3-4-6ordinarily_+
4, 3-4-5-6number@#
4-5, 3-4-5-6nobody^#
5, 3-4-5-6none"#
4-5-6, 3-4-5-6nothing_#
4, 3-4-5might@>
4-5, 3-4-5mean^>
5, 3-4-5mind">
4-5-6, 3-4-5my_>

The table below shows lower one-cell contractions

Dot NumbersWordASCII
3-6come-
5an / at"
2-5is3
2-6enough5
2-3-5-6were7
3-5in9
3at'
2-3be2
2-5-6are4
2-3-5been6
2-3-6his8
3-5-6was0

The table below shows lower two-cell contractions.

Dot NumbersWordASCII
4, 3something@'
4-5, 3thing^'
5, 3someone"'
4-5-6, 3things_'
4, 3-6coming@-
4-5, 3-6comes^-
5, 3-6common"-
4-5-6, 3-6came_-
2am / an1
4-5, 2another^1
5, 2alone"1
4-5-6, 2along_1
4, 2-3beginning@2
4-5, 2-3believe^2
5, 2-3become"2
4-5-6, 2-3belong_2
4, 2-5concern@3
4-5, 2-5consider^3
5, 2-5condition"3
4-5-6, 2-5continue_3
4, 2-5-6differ@4
4-5, 2-5-6dear^4
5, 2-5-6during"4
4-5-6, 2-5-6down_4
4, 2-6enter@5
4-5, 2-6endeavor^5
5, 2-6entire"5
4-5-6, 2-6enclose_5
4, 2-3-5together@6
4-5, 2-3-5too^6
5, 2-3-5toward / towards"6
4-5-6, 2-3-5two_6
4, 2-3-5-6giving@7
4-5, 2-3-5-6great^7
5, 2-3-5-6give"7
4-5-6, 2-3-5-6given / gave_7
4, 2-3-6he@8
4-5, 2-3-6hear^8
5, 2-3-6house"8
4-5-6, 2-3-6her_8
4, 3-5inside@9
4-5, 3-5insead^9
5, 3-5instant"9
4-5-6, 3-5interest_9
4, 3-5-6writing@0
4-5, 3-5-6writes^0
5, 3-5-6write"0
4-5-6, 3-5-6written / wrote_0

Part-Word Contractions

The following are prefixes. These signs appear at the beginning of words.

Dot NumbersMeaningASCII
1-2-5-6out\
1-2-4-5-6er}
1-3-4-6exx
2-4-5dej
1-2-6sp<
2-4-6re%
3-4-6un+

The following are medials. They appear in the middle of words.

Dot NumbersMeaningASCII
1-2-3-4-5quq
1-2-3-6vev
4-5-6ll_
4-6ss.
3-6pp-
3-5-6tt0
2-3-6rr8
5ay"
4Represents a double vowel beginning with A@
5Represents a double vowel beginning with E"
6Represents a double vowel beginning with I,
4-5Represent a double vowel beginning with O^
5-6Represent a double vowel beginning with U;

The following are terminals. They appear at the end of words.

Dot NumbersMeaningASCII
3-6ce / cy-
1-2-3-4-5queq
2-4-5-6wardw
2-3-5-6ge7
1-3-6ureu
2-4irei
1-2-3-6vev
1-2-5-6ous\
4-6, 1-3-5-6ances.z
5-6, 1-3-5-6ences;z
1-2-3-4-5leq
1-5-6se:
3-5-6te0
4-6, 1-3-4-5-6bly.y
2-4-5dej
1-3-5-6esz
6ian / ion,
4-5ly^
5ry"
5-6ty;

Numbers

Numbers from 1-10 are the same as in Grade 2 braille. (All numbers are preceeded by the number sign, dots 3-4-5-6, #.)

Dot NumbersNumberASCII
1-311k
1-2-312l
1-3-413m
1-3-4-514n
1-3-515o
1-2-3-416p
1-2-3-4-517q
1-2-3-518r
2-3-419s
2-3-4-520t
1-3-621u
1-2-3-622v
1-3-4-623x
1-3-4-5-624y
1-3-5-625z
1-2-3-4-626&
1-2-3-4-5-627=
1-2-3-5-628(
2-3-4-629!
2-3-4-5-630)
1-631*
1-2-632<
1-4-633%
1-4-5-634?
1-5-635:
1-2-4-636$
1-2-4-5-637}
1-2-5-638\
2-4-639{
2-4-5-640w
2411
2-3422
2-5433
2-5-6444
2-6455
2-3-5466
2-3-5-6477
2-3-6488
3-5499
3-5-6500

Rules

The abbrivation sign (dot 3, ') is put after abbriviations (e.g. Mr., St., etc.).

The poetry line sign (dots 3-4-5, >) is used to separate lines of poetry when they are witten on the same line.

In grade 3 braille, instead of going to the next line and indenting, you can just leave 3 blank cells to indicate a new paragraph.

Rules for "outlining" words:

Rules for spacing: