How to Sign “Better” in ASL, and How to Make It Clear on Camera

The short answer: the ASL sign for “better”

In American Sign Language (ASL), the language most widely used by Deaf communities in the US, BETTER starts at the chin and ends with a thumbs-up handshape out to the side. It is related to the sign GOOD and the sign BEST. The three share a starting point at the mouth and chin area, but they move differently.

• 1. Use your dominant hand. Hold it flat with the fingers together, palm facing you.
• 2. Touch your fingertips to your chin or just below your lips.
• 3. Move the hand outward and slightly to the side of your face.
• 4. While the hand moves, close it into an “A” handshape. This is a fist with the thumb pointing up.
• 5. End with the thumb up, at about face height, a short distance from your face.

Compare it with the two related signs. GOOD starts the same way at the chin, but the flat hand moves forward and down, often landing in the open palm of the other hand. BEST uses the same closing movement as BETTER, but the hand rises higher, often above the head, and the movement is more emphatic. If you mix these up, “better” can read as “good” or “best.” Keep the side-and-thumbs-up ending of BETTER distinct.

Facial expression is part of ASL grammar, not decoration. A sign can be produced correctly and still feel flat or unclear without it. Pay attention to how fluent signers use their face and body when they compare things.

Limitations of this description

• These steps describe ASL only. British Sign Language, Auslan and other sign languages are separate languages with their own signs, so this description may not match them.
• Signs vary by region, age group and community. You may see other forms of BETTER that are just as valid.
• Written steps cannot show the exact speed, size or movement path of a sign. Check your version against a video from a reputable ASL dictionary, a Deaf ASL teacher or a fluent signer.

Practice the sign on camera and check that it is readable

Recording yourself is an easy way to compare your sign with a reference video. You can also use it to make sure your signing will come across on a video call.

Before you start, you need a webcam or phone camera. Your browser or operating system must let the app you are using access the camera. You also need a reference video of the sign to compare against.

• 1. Open your camera app or the self-view in your video-call app. Check: a live picture appears. If you get a blank or black screen, or a permission prompt, allow camera access in the browser's site settings or your operating system's privacy settings, then reload.
• 2. Frame yourself so the camera shows your signing space: from just above your head down to about your waist, with room on both sides for your elbows. Check: when you sign BETTER, your hand stays in view the whole time, including the movement out to the side. The thumb-up ending must not be cut off at the edge.
• 3. Light your face and hands from the front. A window or lamp behind you can turn you into a silhouette. Check: you can see your fingers separately, and the closed “A” handshape with the raised thumb is clear.
• 4. Use a plain physical background that contrasts with your skin tone and clothing. Wear solid-colored clothing rather than busy patterns. Check: your hands stand out clearly from both the background and your shirt.
• 5. Record a short clip of yourself signing BETTER, GOOD and BEST. Play it back next to your reference video. Check: the start position, movement direction, final handshape and ending height match the reference. Your three signs should also look different from one another.
• 6. If your camera app mirrors your self-view, keep that in mind when you compare. Mirroring can make your dominant hand look like it is on the wrong side. That changes only what you see, not how the other person sees you.

What this check proves, and what it does not

A working self-view and a clear recording tell you three things: the camera has permission, it captures video, and your framing, lighting and background suit signing. They do not tell you what the other person will see. Video-call apps compress video, and a weak connection can blur or freeze fast hand movements on the other end. The only way to check that is a test call with someone who can tell you whether your signs are clear. Ideally that is a fluent signer.

Virtual backgrounds and blur

Virtual background effects work differently from a physical background. Background blur and background replacement detect where your body is and hide everything else. Fast-moving hands can be partly erased, smeared or cut off at the edges. If you see your hands flicker or disappear in self-view while you sign, turn the effect off and use a plain physical background instead. Edited photo backgrounds have nothing to do with live signing. They only change still images after the photo is taken.

Information not available here

There was no verified evidence available on minimum resolution, frame rate or connection speed for signing on video, so this guide gives no numeric targets. Microphone levels generally do not affect how readable your signing is. They matter only if the call also uses spoken audio, such as a voice interpreter. In that case, check separately that the microphone is detected, that it shows input activity when someone speaks, and that the other person can understand the speech.