I in Morse code

I is two quick, even clicks: di-dit. There is no dash, so nothing in it is stressed.

• aye-aye:

  two light syllables, one per dot.

• did it:

  the same two short beats.

• in:

  in Douglas Harder's one-word system the short i and n are both dots.

Say "aye-aye" with the sound a few times, then try to name I from the double click alone.

More memory phrases

With only two elements, I turns into another letter if any one of them changes:

• E:

  . is a single dot. A second click before the letter gap makes it I.

• S:

  ... adds a third dot, and U, ..-, adds a dash.

• M:

  -- swaps both dots for dashes.

• A and N:

  .- and -. each turn one of I's dots into a dash.

The Sound-alike drill trains the dot ladder E, I, S, H and 5, and the alphabet chart shows I among all 26 letters.

As a word, I is sent on its own with a seven-unit word gap after it. Written down, a slash marks that gap:

• I love you:

  .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- takes 6.2 seconds at 18 WPM. The I love you page plays it.

• I miss you:

  .. / -- .. ... ... / -.-- --- ..- takes 5.53 seconds.

• ILY:

  .. .-.. -.-- is the three initials, a third of the length of the full phrase.

To send any other sentence, type it into the Morse code translator, which puts in the letter and word gaps for you.

• Write it:

  two periods, .. with a space before the next letter, or a slash when I is a word on its own.

• Tap it:

  two quick, even taps. On someone's hand, a gentle double tap is enough.

• Flash it:

  two short blinks. The light on this page plays at 7 WPM, under three flashes a second, and the Flashlight signaler sends whole messages.

Operators send II, two Is with a letter gap, to mean I say again before repeating something. The question mark, ..--.., is built from I, M and I run together with no gaps, two dots on each side of a pair of dashes.