A Simple Guide on How to Write in Cursive

Write in Cursive

Cursive writing is a unique skill, an art form filled with beauty and practicality. In the modern-day, it has been largely abandoned or forgotten. But by arming yourself with the right knowledge, you can learn how to write in cursive.

To begin, let’s go over what cursive writing is. Cursive writing is a style of penmanship where letters are joined together using loops and other connecting strokes to create words. The word “cursive” comes from the Latin word “cursive,” meaning running or flowing. Cursive lettering has been around since the Roman Empire. Still, people didn’t make use of cursive widely it until the 18th century, when schools began teaching students how to write in cursive through copybooks or “handbooks of penmanship” modeled after Italian handwriting styles (Palmer Method).

Parents, teachers, and researchers alike still debate the value of learning cursive writing. A common argument for maintaining cursive handwriting instruction in K-8 education is that it helps children succeed on fine motor skills and visual memory tests. Others argue that teaching kids how to write in cursive takes away valuable computer technology training time that kids would better spend preparing them for their future careers as programmers, engineers, and scientists.

Whether you agree that learning how to write in cursive should be part of a child’s curriculum or not may depend on your age—one study finds that those over 30 are more likely than younger people to think kids should have formal instruction in handwritten communication (McCombs). Regardless of where you stand on this issue, though, there are many ways you can learn how to write in cursive if you’re motivated enough!

Cursive Writing and Why It’s Important

Why is cursive writing so important? Cursive writing is an important skill for both reading and writing. Learning to write in cursive enables you to handwrite documents with ease, express yourself creatively, or even take notes in class more quickly.

Your brain will also benefit from learning cursive. Cursive writing helps develop small motor skills and the ability to coordinate two hands at once, and spatial reasoning skills and memory. Studies have also shown that children who learn to write in cursive have better reading comprehension and overall academic performance than those who don’t learn cursive.

Cursive Writing

Cursive writing is a beautiful art. However, it does need you to do some practice movement exercises. For young children, each letter of the alphabet starts on the line and curves up or down. Once you master your ABCs in cursive text, this will be a great foundation for you to begin putting cursive letters together to form words and, eventually, sentences. If you are new to the art of cursive writing, then here are some helpful hints:

• Make sure you have a nice writing utensil. A good pen or pencil is crucial for your hand to glide along smoothly when forming each letter.
• Make sure you have good paper! There is nothing worse than trying to write on rough paper that tears as soon as your pen touches it. Take your time and choose something smooth and substantial so as not to discourage yourself with an annoying surface under your pen/pencil.
• Do not rush it! Like everything else, practice makes perfect! So don’t rush ahead if you aren’t comfortable with how one letter looks before moving on to another part of that same letter or starting a new one entirely!

Step 1: Start with the Cursive Alphabet

• Start with the Cursive Alphabet. Mastering lowercase is the first step. It will be easier to learn to write cursive if you start with lowercase letters, as they are less complicated than uppercase letters.
• Use a Cursive Writing Template if You Get Stuck. If you’re having trouble remembering the order of your cursive strokes, practice using a template for each letter or trace over examples from a workbook or textbook first before doing them on your own.
• Practice Each Letter Several Times Before Moving On. Once you have learned how to write each letter of the alphabet, review them several times to make sure that it sticks in your memory, and practice writing each letter several times before moving on to other ones so you can be sure that you get it right.
• Keep Practicing.! Remembering how to write in cursive isn’t always easy, so don’t forget that repetition is key when learning anything new!

Step 2: Lowercase Letters in Cursive

Lowercase letters in cursive are the letters that fall below the line. Lowercase letters have only one place to start and only one place to end. They should all have the same height.

a: Start on the line, make a loop that comes down just above the bottom line, then go back up to the top line and curve around to end at the bottom of your starting point on the top line.

b: Start on the line for b and c by making a loop about two lines high. Then, make another loop opposite to close off your letter (like a d). Hook through this last loop down onto the bottom line.

c: Use the same process as b, except curl around after you go down two lines instead of going up again.

d: Start at just above or below your baseline and curve the fluid line of ink until you’re about halfway between it and where you started. Make a loop backward from where you started, then curve downwards along your original baseline until you get back to where you started from.

e: Use f as an example for e because starting points are identical for both letters! Write f including its middle bar—but no tiny downward swirls—and add an extra stroke that follows your original curl.

Step 3: Uppercase in Cursive

The next step is to write uppercase letters or cursive capital letters. You will want to practice these with the lowercase letters you have already learned. These are all of the cursive capital letters:

• A, B, C, D, E, F, G
• H, I, J, K
• L, M
• N
• O
• P
• Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Step 4: Selecting a Cursive Font

An important step in cursive writing is choosing a font that you can use for your document. Cursive fonts are similar to calligraphy fonts in that they use connected lettering. Still, the cursive font is more popularly used on digital platforms because it does not require a special set of pens or brushes. It’s also commonly used for invitations, greeting cards, and other printouts by individuals who want their documents to have a handwritten feel.

Cursive fonts are often used to enhance the appearance of a piece of writing. If the purpose of using a cursive font is purely decorative, you may select any typeface you like. However, if using cursive fonts adds sophistication and elegance to your writing, then choosing the right typeface will be beneficial as some styles may look unprofessional and unattractive on certain documents.

Step 5: Practice Regularly

Now that you know the basics of cursive writing, it’s time to practice some more!

It is important to practice regularly with cursive writing. Not only will you not be able to master this skill unless you practice, but your handwriting will also improve. Try to write daily or as often as possible. Cursive writing is like riding a bike; once you get used to it, you won’t forget how!

Practice makes perfect, and while learning cursive may seem like a long process now, it will soon become second nature. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes because those are part of the learning process. Soon enough, your cursive writing will impress everyone around you!

Cursive Writing Tips

• If you’re a beginner, the best thing to do is start with a simple font. Many cursive fonts don’t have connected letters, making them easier to write.
• Don’t forget about uppercase letters. Uppercase letters are usually more challenging than lowercase ones so you can practice them too.
• Aim for a slanted position of each letter when writing in cursive. To get the most natural hand position, hold your pen at an angle of 45 degrees from the writing surface.
• Practice writing in cursive as much as possible! The only way to improve your handwriting is to practice regularly, so try preparing cursive letter worksheets independently or taking an online course.
• Download cursive writing sheets and use them whenever you have free time. This will help you get into the habit of practicing and will keep your skills sharp even during long breaks between lessons or classes.
• Keep it neat when joining the letters together: While there are many different ways of joining letters in cursive writing (e.g., oval joins or straight ones), consistency is key here — so be sure not to switch between one cursive method to the other often

Congrats, you can write in Cursive!

Congratulations! You can now write in cursive. The next step is to practice! Keep writing, and keep refining your letters. If you’re looking for other ways to learn to write in cursive, try using cursive letter worksheets or buying a book that teaches you how to write in cursive. There are plenty of resources out there, so take advantage of them.

If you’re still having issues with forming letters correctly, try tracing examples written by someone else before taking a shot at writing the easiest letter yourself. People also have different styles for writing in cursive—even if you don’t get it perfect the first time around, you’ll be able to develop your style eventually!

Do You Need Some Extra Help with Cursive Writing?

Your ability to recall and execute the movements of cursive writing will improve with regular practice. It is more than likely you will make mistakes while practicing, but they are an important part of your learning process.

If you are having trouble finding time to practice or need extra help with cursive writing, consider getting help from a professional tutor. You can also use guides that provide comprehensive instructions on how to write in cursive. A guide offers different lessons and activities for each letter and examples for you to follow along with as you practice. You should not be discouraged if your script does not look exactly like the examples at first. As long as you keep practicing, your handwriting will improve over time!

Sarah Bentley

With a passion for helping students navigate their educational journey, I strive to create informative and relatable blog content. Whether it’s tackling exam stress, offering career guidance, or sharing effective study techniques