Grade 1 vs Grade 2 Braille: Key Differences Explained (HI)

What Is Grade 1 Braille? (HI)

Grade 1 braille is uncontracted braille that maps each print letter, number, and punctuation mark to exactly 1 braille cell. Grade 1 braille uses a strict 1:1 correspondence — the word “cat” requires 3 braille cells: ⠉ (c), ⠁ (a), ⠞ (t). No abbreviations or shorthand symbols exist in Grade 1 braille.

Grade 1 braille contains 26 letter signs, 10 number signs (preceded by the number indicator ⠼), and punctuation indicators. Each English letter corresponds to a unique dot pattern inside a 6-dot cell measuring 6.2 mm (0.24 inches) wide by 10.0 mm (0.39 inches) tall.

Braille instructors teach Grade 1 braille first because readers can decode every cell without memorizing contractions. Grade 1 braille appears in elevator buttons, room signs, medication labels, and other short-text applications where space savings matter less than instant readability.

What Is Grade 2 Braille? (HI)

Grade 2 braille is contracted braille that uses 189 contractions in Unified English Braille (UEB) to shorten common words and letter combinations into fewer cells. Grade 2 braille replaces whole words (like “the”) and common letter groups (like “ing”) with single-cell or multi-cell shorthand symbols.

Grade 2 braille reduces the total cell count of English text by 20–30% compared to Grade 1 braille. A 300-page Grade 1 braille book shrinks to approximately 210–240 pages in Grade 2 braille. Published books, magazines, newspapers, and official documents in English-speaking countries use Grade 2 braille as the standard format.

The 189 UEB contractions fall into 3 categories:

1. Alphabetic wordsigns — single letters that represent whole words when standing alone (e.g., “b” = “but,” “c” = “can,” “d” = “do”)
2. Strong contractions — symbols that replace common letter groups anywhere in a word (e.g., “and,” “the,” “ing,” “ed”)
3. Lower-sign wordsigns and shortforms — abbreviated spellings for high-frequency words (e.g., “ab” = “about,” “abv” = “above,” “rcv” = “receive”)

Direct Comparison: Grade 1 vs Grade 2 Braille (HI)

Feature	Grade 1 (Uncontracted)	Grade 2 (Contracted)
Cell mapping	1 letter = 1 cell	1 contraction = 1–3 cells for multiple letters
Number of symbols	26 letters + numbers + punctuation	189 contractions + all Grade 1 symbols
Word “the”	3 cells: ⠞⠓⠑	1 cell: ⠮
Word “and”	3 cells: ⠁⠝⠙	1 cell: ⠯
Word “for”	3 cells: ⠋⠕⠗	1 cell: ⠿
Word “people”	6 cells: ⠏⠑⠕⠏⠇⠑	1 cell: ⠏ (shortform)
Word “knowledge”	9 cells	4 cells: ⠐⠅⠇⠑⠙⠛⠑
Space savings	Baseline (0%)	20–30% fewer cells
Page count (typical book)	~300 pages	~210–240 pages
Learning difficulty	Low — 1–2 weeks to learn	Moderate — 3–6 months to master all contractions
Primary use	Beginners, signage, math notation	Books, documents, standardized tests
Standard	UEB Grade 1	UEB Grade 2

5 Most Common Grade 2 Contractions (HI)

These 5 contractions appear most frequently in English Grade 2 braille text:

Contraction	Braille Symbol	Dot Pattern	Grade 1 Equivalent	Cell Savings
the	⠮	dots 2-3-4-6	⠞⠓⠑ (3 cells)	2 cells saved
and	⠯	dots 1-2-3-4-6	⠁⠝⠙ (3 cells)	2 cells saved
for	⠿	dots 1-2-3-4-5-6	⠋⠕⠗ (3 cells)	2 cells saved
of	⠷	dots 1-2-3-5-6	⠕⠋ (2 cells)	1 cell saved
ing	⠬	dots 3-4-6	⠊⠝⠛ (3 cells)	2 cells saved

The word “the” appears approximately 7% of all English words. Replacing 3 cells with 1 cell every time “the” occurs produces significant space savings across a full document. In a 50,000-word book, the contraction for “the” alone saves approximately 7,000 cells.

When to Use Grade 1 Braille (HI)

Grade 1 braille serves 4 specific purposes:

1. Beginning braille instruction — new readers learn Grade 1 braille before memorizing 189 contractions
2. Mathematics and science notation — Nemeth Code and UEB Technical use uncontracted braille to represent equations, variables, and formulas without ambiguity
3. Short labels and signage — ADA-compliant signs in the United States require Grade 1 braille for room numbers, elevator buttons, and restroom signs
4. Computer code and programming — Grade 1 braille preserves exact character sequences needed for source code, URLs, and email addresses

Music braille notation, foreign language transcription, and phonetic transcription rely on Grade 1 braille because contracted forms create ambiguity in these specialized contexts.

When to Use Grade 2 Braille (HI)

Grade 2 braille is the default format for 6 common document types:

1. Published books — every braille publisher (National Braille Press, American Printing House for the Blind) prints in Grade 2
2. Standardized tests — SAT, ACT, GRE, and state assessments use Grade 2 braille
3. Government documents — federal and state agencies produce Grade 2 braille versions of public notices, voter guides, and tax forms
4. Personal correspondence — braille readers write letters and notes in Grade 2 braille for speed and efficiency
5. Magazines and newspapers — periodicals like the National Federation of the Blind’s “Braille Monitor” use Grade 2 braille
6. Educational textbooks — K-12 and university textbooks follow Grade 2 braille standards

Fluent braille readers read Grade 2 braille at speeds of 100–200 words per minute. Grade 1 braille slows reading speed by 20–30% because each word requires more cells and more finger travel across the page.

Unified English Braille (UEB): The Current Standard (HI)

UEB became the official international braille standard in 2016, replacing older regional codes (like Standard English Braille in the US and British Revised Braille in the UK). The International Council on English Braille (ICEB) developed UEB over a 12-year period from 2004 to 2016.

UEB standardizes braille across 7 English-speaking countries: the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Nigeria. Before UEB, each country maintained separate contraction rules, making cross-border braille materials incompatible.

BANA’s Role (HI)

The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) adopted UEB for literary braille in the United States and Canada on January 4, 2016. BANA maintains the official UEB rulebook, publishes updates, and certifies braille transcribers through the Library of Congress National Library Service (NLS).

BANA retained the Nemeth Braille Code for mathematics and science notation as an alternative to UEB Technical in North America. Braille transcribers in the US can choose between Nemeth Code and UEB Technical for STEM content.

ICEB’s Role (HI)

The International Council on English Braille (ICEB) governs UEB at the international level. ICEB includes representatives from 9 member countries and manages the UEB rulebook, updates, and contraction list. ICEB meets every 4 years at a General Assembly to review proposed changes to UEB.

Grade 3 Braille: Personal Shorthand (HI)

Grade 3 braille is a non-standardized personal shorthand system that individual braille users create for note-taking and personal use. No official body (BANA, ICEB, or any national braille authority) has published a Grade 3 braille standard.

Grade 3 braille users invent custom abbreviations beyond the 189 UEB contractions. One user might write “tmr” for “tomorrow,” while another user writes “tw.” Grade 3 braille documents cannot reliably be read by anyone other than the person who wrote them.

Grade 3 braille has no role in published materials, education, or official communication. Braille translators and embossers do not support Grade 3 braille because no standardized rule set exists.

How Cell Count Affects Braille Page Size (HI)

A standard braille page measures 292 mm × 279 mm (11.5 × 11 inches) and contains 25 lines of 40 cells each — a maximum of 1,000 cells per page. Each braille cell measures 6.2 mm (0.24 inches) wide with 2.3 mm (0.09 inches) of horizontal spacing between cells.

Grade 1 braille requires more cells per word than Grade 2 braille. The average English word in Grade 1 braille uses 5.1 cells (including the space after the word). The average English word in Grade 2 braille uses 3.8 cells. This 25% reduction in cell count translates directly to fewer pages.

Document Length	Grade 1 Pages	Grade 2 Pages	Pages Saved
1,000 words	6 pages	4 pages	2 pages
10,000 words	52 pages	39 pages	13 pages
50,000 words (novel)	260 pages	195 pages	65 pages
100,000 words (textbook)	520 pages	390 pages	130 pages

Braille books printed in Grade 2 braille cost less to produce, weigh less, and occupy less shelf space. A 50,000-word novel in Grade 1 braille fills approximately 2 volumes; the same novel in Grade 2 braille fits in 1–2 volumes.

How Braille Translator Handles Both Grades (HI)

Braille Translator converts English text to both Grade 1 and Grade 2 braille using the LibLouis translation engine. Users select the grade before translating through a dropdown menu in the Text to Braille tool.

Grade Selection Process (HI)

1. Open the Text to Braille tool
2. Type or paste English text into the input field
3. Select “Grade 1” or “Grade 2” from the translation table dropdown
4. View the braille output in Unicode braille characters

The Contraction Lookup tool displays every UEB contraction with its dot pattern, braille symbol, and usage rules. Users can search for a specific word to see how Grade 2 braille contracts that word.

Practical Example (HI)

The sentence “The children are reading books and learning about the world” translates differently in each grade:

Grade 1 output (49 cells): ⠠⠞⠓⠑ ⠉⠓⠊⠇⠙⠗⠑⠝ ⠁⠗⠑ ⠗⠑⠁⠙⠊⠝⠛ ⠃⠕⠕⠅⠎ ⠁⠝⠙ ⠇⠑⠁⠗⠝⠊⠝⠛ ⠁⠃⠕⠥⠞ ⠞⠓⠑ ⠺⠕⠗⠇⠙

Grade 2 output (36 cells): ⠠⠮ ⠡⠊⠇⠙⠗⠑⠝ ⠜⠑ ⠗⠂⠙⠬ ⠃⠕⠕⠅⠎ ⠯ ⠇⠑⠜⠝⠬ ⠁⠃ ⠮ ⠺⠕⠗⠇⠙

Grade 2 braille saves 13 cells (27% reduction) in this single sentence. Contractions applied include “the” → ⠮, “ch” → ⠡, “ar” → ⠜, “ea” → ⠂, “ing” → ⠬, “and” → ⠯, and “about” → ⠁⠃.

Frequently Asked Questions (HI)

Is Grade 2 braille harder to learn than Grade 1? (HI)

Yes, Grade 2 braille requires memorizing 189 contractions compared to Grade 1 braille’s 26 letters. Most braille learners need 3–6 months of daily practice to read Grade 2 braille fluently, while Grade 1 braille takes 1–2 weeks to learn.

Can braille displays show both grades? (HI)

Yes, refreshable braille displays (like the Humanware BrailleNote Touch Plus and the HIMS Polaris) display both Grade 1 and Grade 2 braille. The screen reader software (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver) controls the grade setting.

Do all languages use Grade 1 and Grade 2? (HI)

No, the Grade 1/Grade 2 distinction applies primarily to English braille under UEB. Other languages (French, Spanish, German, Arabic, Mandarin) have their own braille codes with different contraction systems. French braille uses abrégé (contracted) and intégral (uncontracted) forms. The Text to Braille tool supports 20+ language tables.

Which grade do braille embossers print? (HI)

Both grades — braille embossers (like the Index Everest-D V5 and ViewPlus Tiger) print whatever braille data the translation software sends. The grade selection happens in the translation software, not in the embosser hardware.

Summary (HI)

Grade 1 braille maps each letter to 1 cell with zero contractions. Grade 2 braille uses 189 UEB contractions to reduce cell count by 20–30%. Grade 2 braille is the standard for published English materials since the UEB adoption in 2016. Use Braille Translator to convert text to either grade, and use the Contraction Lookup tool to explore all 189 UEB contractions with their dot patterns.