Cursive alphabet chart: uppercase and lowercase A to Z
Cursive alphabet chart, uppercase and lowercase, with a tracing copy · 4 pages
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The cursive alphabet is the 26 letters written in joined, slanted strokes, each with a capital and a lowercase form. Page one of this printable is a reference chart: every pair from Aa to Zz on its own set of guidelines, with a green dot where the pencil starts and small arrows showing the direction of travel. Page two is the same chart in dotted letters to trace. Page three shows the lowercase alphabet joined in short groups (abcdef, ghijk, and so on), so your child sees how each letter flows into the next.
Hang the chart where your child writes, and treat it like a dictionary: look up a letter, trace it once on page two, then write it. The letterforms are a traditional slanted, looped cursive. Programs differ a little (Handwriting Without Tears teaches a simpler vertical cursive, for example), so if your child's school uses a specific program, check its capitals against this chart.
To practice letters one at a time, open any letter page, such as cursive s or cursive f.
Tips for using it
- Teach lowercase letters in stroke families (i t u w, then e l b h k f, then n m v x y z, then a c d g o q) rather than A to Z. Letters in a family start the same way.
- Capitals are used far less than lowercase. Save them until lowercase joins are smooth, then do two or three a day.
- Use page three as a warm-up: tracing the connected alphabet once takes about two minutes.
Variations
All handwriting worksheetsQuestions
What is the hardest letter in the cursive alphabet?
The letters that look least like print usually take longest: lowercase f, z and q, and capitals Q, G, I and Z. The letters that end high on the midline (b, o, v, w) cause the most joining mistakes.
Is there one official cursive alphabet?
No. Publishers use slightly different models. Traditional slanted, looped cursive like this chart is the most common style in US workbooks, while some programs teach a vertical or less looped style. The letters are close enough that a child who learns one can read the others.
How long does it take to learn the cursive alphabet?
With about 10 to 15 minutes a day, many children can form all the lowercase letters in a few weeks and join them fluently over a school year. Capitals usually take longer because they are used less.