How Cursive Works
Cursive letters are made from a few basic strokes, and they join so your pencil keeps moving.
Need more than one? Tap + for extra copies (up to 10).
How to do it
- Look at how tall small letters, tall letters and tails are.
- Trace the four basic strokes with your finger.
- Read the tips for getting ready and joining letters.
Teaching tip
Practice the strokes big first, in the air or on a whiteboard, before writing small.
About this chart
Letter sizes on handwriting lines, the four basic strokes (undercurve, downcurve, overcurve and slant), how to get ready to write, and how letters join.
What kids practice
Cursive is joined handwriting. Each letter is made from a few basic strokes, and the letters connect so the pencil keeps moving through a word. Many schools teach cursive in third grade. These sheets use a traditional US school cursive style, and they teach the lowercase letters in small groups that start the same way. Common Core doesn't cover cursive, so these sheets have no Common Core code.
Watch for
- Starting a letter in the wrong place. The green dot shows where to begin.
- Lifting the pencil in the middle of a word.
- Making small letters too tall, so they run past the dashed line.
- Letters leaning different ways in the same word.
It's free to print, as many copies as you need. See the full cursive letters guide for 3rd grade.
More sheets in this set
- See it all
2. Lowercase Cursive AlphabetAll 26 lowercase cursive letters on handwriting lines, each with a green start dot and an arrow showing the first stroke. - See it all
3. Uppercase Cursive AlphabetAll 26 uppercase cursive letters on handwriting lines, each with a green start dot and an arrow showing the first stroke. 
4. Cursive a, c and dPractice cursive a, c and d, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the words add cad dad to trace and write.
5. Cursive g, o and qPractice cursive g, o and q, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the words go dog cod to trace and write.
6. Cursive i, t and uPractice cursive i, t and u, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the words cut quit tug to trace and write.
7. Cursive w, e and lPractice cursive w, e and l, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the words owl wet glue to trace and write.
8. Cursive b, h and kPractice cursive b, h and k, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the words back hut kite to trace and write.
9. Cursive f, r and sPractice cursive f, r and s, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the words fish frog star to trace and write.
10. Cursive j, p and yPractice cursive j, p and y, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the words jump play yes to trace and write.
11. Cursive m, n and vPractice cursive m, n and v, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the words moon van seven to trace and write.
12. Cursive x and zPractice cursive x and z, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the words fox zoo six to trace and write.
13. Cursive A, C and EPractice uppercase cursive A, C and E, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the names Ann Cal Eve to trace and write.
14. Cursive O, D and QPractice uppercase cursive O, D and Q, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the names Owen Dad Quinn to trace and write.
15. Cursive N, M and HPractice uppercase cursive N, M and H, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the names Nate Mom Hope to trace and write.
16. Cursive K, U and VPractice uppercase cursive K, U and V, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the names Kim Utah Vic to trace and write.
17. Cursive W, X and YPractice uppercase cursive W, X and Y, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the names Will Xena Yara to trace and write.
18. Cursive Z, I and JPractice uppercase cursive Z, I and J, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the names Zoe Ivy Jack to trace and write.
19. Cursive B, P and RPractice uppercase cursive B, P and R, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the names Ben Pam Rex to trace and write.
20. Cursive T, F and SPractice uppercase cursive T, F and S, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the names Tom Fran Sam to trace and write.
21. Cursive G and LPractice uppercase cursive G and L, with a model of each letter, a row to trace, a row to write, and the names Gus Lily Leo to trace and write.
22. Cursive WordsEveryday words like garden, happy and yellow to trace in cursive and then write twice. Each copy has different words.
23. Copy the SentenceShort sentences like "Owls hunt at night." to trace in cursive, then copy on the line below. Each copy has different sentences.