It is my intention to add as much material as I can for you to practise your reading and I am
adding to this section regularly.
I am assuming that your course books will give you plenty of business material,
but here you will find short pieces on anything and everything – dealing with
all types of vocabulary is essential. Hopefully
these will provide a change of scenery and get Pitman's New Era out in the fresh air.
The commonest words of the
language are generally independent of subject-matter and learning
these will provide a good basis for all your future shorthand
writing. If you go from writing these, or other simple passages, to
more specialised material, you may find that your speed suffers
slightly, until you have learned all the new vocabulary/outlines for
that particular subject.
The Shorthand Reading Pages have word counts for each article.
As items get added to
the pages, or improvements/corrections made, you may wish to compare the latest date against any version you may have already downloaded. I
am including the notepad margin in the shorthand in order to give alternatives where the phrasing produces unconventional outlines,
for the benefit of the beginner.
The pages are A4 landscape, so they can be folded
or cut to fit an A5 ringer binder, and they are laid out so that
shorthand prints at life-size.
These are real stories and
places, and not practice fabrications. Unlike scribbling for myself, the
shorthand dictionary is now being well thumbed to check the
outlines! The shorthand is not as pristine as in your textbook, but
there is additional satisfaction in deciphering real written
shorthand, bringing the system a step closer to everyday reality.
There is no vast artwork and printing department, and only a scanner
separates the writer and reader in these pages.
Full-Vowel Versions of Reading Pages
The passages
contain a few more vowels than would be necessary to insert during a
dictation, because you will not have read the passage before. If you
use the passages for writing practice, write only those vowels that
are essential to prevent misreading.
I
intend to go through the existing reading pages inserting all the
vowel signs (already done for Greenwich pages). This will enable you to practise rapid reading, as well as improve your
knowledge of the vowel signs and their placement. This ability is
essential and should not be overlooked in the rush for those
gratifying speed triumphs. Your speed will benefit, as well as the
reliability of your shorthand. Being able to insert the occasional
vowel quickly and confidently during dictation will make reading
back much easier, especially if you are unsure of the outline and
when writing names.
It is helpful at intervals to write out text
passages into leisurely neat shorthand with vowels inserted, so
that you are aware of what may need revision. If you keep your own
handwritten copies in a separate notepad or ringbinder, you
will have an ever-increasing fund of reading material, written in
your own hand rather than mine or the textbook's. If using a binder,
A5 is more portable and less obtrusive in public, and the back of
each page could be used for additional notes and comments. Include a
wad of blank lined pages, plus a pencil between the rings, for spare
practice moments. See
Print Your
Own Shorthand Notepad on the Downloads page. You might also wish
to make your own mini shorthand reading books by copying passages
into the blank ruled
Origami Booklet page.
Shorthand Reading
Pages List:
The Photo Tour section below has photos/shorthand paragraph/text key for each of the paragraphs in the article,
with some of the phrases and related outlines explained at the page
end. I suggest you scroll up the photo and the shorthand, and leave
the text hidden below the screen until you need it. The text is in a smaller font, make it easier to display
shorthand and text on the screen together. PDF will be provided at a
later date.
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