Cursive Words

Cursive Writing

Cursive is handwriting in which the letters of a word are joined, so you write each word in one flowing movement instead of lifting the pencil between letters.

How cursive letters join

Every lowercase letter ends with an exit stroke that becomes the entry stroke of the next letter. Most joins start from the baseline. Four letters, b, o, v and w, end high at the midline, so the letter after them is joined with a “bridge” across the top. That one rule explains most of the shapes that look different from print.

Dots on i and j and crosses on t and x are added after the word is finished, so the movement isn't interrupted.

Capitals

Capitals start a word and are where handwriting programs differ most. In the cursive shown here, 15 capitals join the next letter and 11 (B, D, F, G, H, O, P, S, T, V, W) stand on their own. Each letter page shows its joins.

Which cursive is this?

The looped, fully joined hand most American adults learned at school. Programs such as D'Nealian and Zaner-Bloser shape a few capitals differently; if a child's class uses one of them, follow the teacher's letter shapes.

A practice plan

  1. Learn the lowercase letters in families: the oval letters (a, c, d, g, o, q), the loop letters (b, e, f, h, k, l) and the rest.
  2. Practise common joins in pairs, such as “an”, “th”, “oe” and “wr”.
  3. Write short words, then your own name.
  4. Add the capitals, starting with the ones that look like their lowercase letter (A, C, M, N, U, Y).
  5. Print a worksheet for anything you want to trace.

Posture and grip

Sit with both feet on the floor and the paper slanted: right-handers tilt the top of the page to the left, left-handers to the right, so the writing arm moves naturally. Hold the pencil lightly; cursive comes from the arm and wrist, not from squeezing with the fingers.

Questions

Is cursive still taught in schools?

Many US states and districts teach it again, usually in second or third grade, but requirements vary by state and school.

Is cursive faster than print?

It can be, because the pencil lifts less often, but speed comes from practice in either style. Many adults end up writing a mix of joined and printed letters.

Can left-handed people write cursive?

Yes. Slant the paper the other way, keep the wrist below the line of writing, and the same letter shapes work.