20. A device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the composition stage creates a trace which is displayed on the display.
15. An electronic device comprising: a display having a plurality of discrete areas for entering a series of characters; a user input for entering characters via the plurality of discrete areas; a detector for detecting a first input associated with a first one of the plurality of discrete areas, the first input comprises an initiation stage and a composition stage, the composition stage comprising a plurality of drag actions; and a processor for recognizing the first input in the first one of the plurality of discrete areas as a first character input while the detector is operable to detect a second input, in a second one of the plurality of areas, for recognition as a second character input, the recognition of the second character input occurring separately to the recognition of the first character input, the processor further associating one of the plurality of discrete areas with the first input from the position of the initiation stage of the first input and continuing the association when the composition stage of the first input extends outside of the discrete area in which the initiation stage occurred so long as each of the plurality of drag actions is initiated within the discrete area.