Browse

Cursive Writing Worksheets

45 free PDFsUS Letter PDFsNo login

A full cursive course in teaching order: strokes, letter groups, joins, capitals, words, sentences, passages and writing your name.

Download the cursive writing worksheets worksheets

1. Strokes

The four strokes every lowercase letter is built from, then joined warm-up patterns.

2. Undercurve letters

i, t, u, w, e, l, b, h, f, k, r, s, j and p, three at a time, each on its own and joined, then a review page of words.

2. Downcurve letters

a, d, g, o, c and q, which curve back like a c, then a review page of words.

2. Overcurve letters

n, m, x, y, v and z, then a review page of words.

2. Undercurve letters

i, t, u, w, e, l, b, h, f, k, r, s, j and p, three at a time, each on its own and joined, then a review page of words.

  • Preview of the printable “Cursive undercurve letters Review: words” worksheet: joining cursive undercurve letters in wordsView larger

    Cursive undercurve letters Review: words

    Joining cursive undercurve letters in words

    1 page29 KB

2. Downcurve letters

a, d, g, o, c and q, which curve back like a c, then a review page of words.

  • Preview of the printable “Cursive downcurve letters Review: words” worksheet: joining cursive downcurve letters in wordsView larger

    Cursive downcurve letters Review: words

    Joining cursive downcurve letters in words

    1 page28 KB

2. Overcurve letters

n, m, x, y, v and z, then a review page of words.

  • Preview of the printable “Cursive overcurve letters Review: words” worksheet: joining cursive overcurve letters in wordsView larger

    Cursive overcurve letters Review: words

    Joining cursive overcurve letters in words

    1 page29 KB

3. Joins

Baseline joins first, then joining into round letters, the top joins from b, o, v and w, the r and s joins, and the loop letters f, g, j, y and z.

4. Capital letters

All 26 capitals with names to trace. Capitals do not join to the next letter.

5. Words, sentences and passages

Joined words, days, months, number words, short sentences and copy passages.

6. Your name

A box for a grown-up to write the model, then rows to write it.

Print at 100% (actual size) for the cleanest tracing lines.

About these cursive writing worksheets worksheets

These cursive writing worksheets are a complete course in the order cursive is usually taught. Work through them from the top: each page builds on the one before, so your child is never asked to join a letter they haven't learned yet.

The course starts with the four basic strokes and joined warm-up patterns. Then come the lowercase letters in three groups by their starting stroke: undercurve letters (i, t, u, w, e, l, b, h, f, k, r, s, j, p), downcurve letters (a, d, g, o, c, q) and overcurve letters (n, m, x, y, v, z). Every letter is practiced on its own and joined to itself, so children see and feel the join from the start.

Joins get their own section: swinging up from the baseline, curving over into round letters, sliding along the midline after b, o, v and w, joining into and out of r and s, and looping below the baseline with f, g, j, y and z. After the capitals come words, days of the week, months, number words, sentences and copy passages, and a page for writing your own name.

Standards

  • Texas TEKS Grade 2 (handwriting)develop handwriting by accurately forming all cursive letters using appropriate strokes when connecting letters
  • Texas TEKS Grade 3 (handwriting)write complete words, thoughts, and answers legibly in cursive leaving appropriate spaces between words

How to use them

  1. Do one page a day, in order. Ten careful minutes beat a rushed half hour.
  2. On every page, trace the gray letters first, then write on the blank rows without tracing.
  3. Don't move on from a letter group until the review page of words looks even and joined.
  4. Keep the cursive alphabet chart on the desk for checking letters during words and sentences.

Teaching tips

  • Print at actual size (100%) on US Letter or A4 paper. The gray trace letters are solid, so they copy cleanly.
  • Most pages use 3rd grade lines (small letters 1/4 inch tall). The strokes and name pages use larger starter lines.
  • Joins are the heart of cursive. If a word looks choppy, go back to the joins section for a day.
  • Leave a space about as wide as an o between words in sentences and passages.
  • Left-handed writers: there is a black model at both ends of each letter row, so the model is never hidden under the hand.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What order should cursive letters be taught in?

Teach the strokes first, then lowercase letters grouped by how they start: undercurve letters, then downcurve letters, then overcurve letters. Practice joins next, then capitals, then words and sentences. These worksheets follow that order.

How long does it take to learn cursive?

With a page a day, most children learn every lowercase letter and the main joins in two to three months, and keep improving their speed and neatness through the next year.

Do all cursive letters join?

Every lowercase letter joins in this style. Most joins swing up from the baseline. After b, o, v and w the join slides along the midline, and f, g, j, y and z loop below the baseline before they swing up into the next letter. Capitals do not join.