Cursive A

How to use the Cursive A worksheet maker

Use the controls above this guide. The preview updates each time you change a setting.

1. Set Letters to Capital A and lowercase a, Capital A only, or Lowercase a only.
2. Keep Big model of the letter at the top on for a large model row, or turn it off.
3. Choose a Line size: Extra large, 1 inch (pre-K–K); Large, 3/4 inch (K–1st); Medium, 5/8 inch (2nd); or Small, 3/8 inch (3rd and up).
4. Set Rows to trace the capital and Rows to trace the lowercase from 0 to 4.
5. Set Rows of letter pairs (joins) from 0 to 3, and Practice words from Off to 8 words.
6. Type up to 3 of your own words in Your own words (optional).
7. Set Blank rows to write on from 0 to 6. Then choose Tracing letters (Light gray or Dotted outline), Lines and Color.
8. Choose the paper size, US Letter or A4, and select Print or save as PDF.

Settings are saved in the page address after the #, so a bookmarked or shared link opens the same sheet. Use Reset settings to return to the defaults. New worksheet makes a different sheet with the same settings, and its short worksheet code appears under the buttons.

The built-in practice words for a are ant, apple, arm, acorn, cat, banana, happy and grass. Choose how many of them appear on the sheet, or type up to three of your own words, such as a name that contains the letter.

How do you write a capital A in cursive?

Trace the gray model on the sheet, then compare it with the chart your school uses for the strokes. This page does not teach one stroke order, because the order differs between US handwriting programs.

The finished capital A reaches the top line and sits on the baseline. In traditional cursive it is a larger, rounder version of the lowercase a, a rounded oval with a stem. It does not look like the print A with a point at the top, although the two are similar in the font used here.

How do you write a lowercase a in cursive?

Use the same method as the capital: trace the gray copies, then check the chart your school gives you. Stroke order is not shown on this sheet, so the chart is the reference for how the strokes go.

The finished lowercase a is a small letter. It reaches the dashed midline, not the top line, and it sits on the baseline. In the word rows it joins the letter that follows, so practice it inside words such as ant and apple as well as on its own.

What does the cursive letter a look like?

The cursive letter a is a small letter that reaches the dashed midline and sits on the baseline. Small letters such as c and o have the same height, so the a stays at that level in a row of words.

Tall letters such as b, d, f, h, k, l and t reach the top line instead. Seeing the capital A next to the lowercase a in the big model row shows the difference in height clearly. In the letter pairs row, the a appears in pairs such as an, ap and ar, where it connects to the next letter.

Is this cursive practice sheet free to print?

Yes, it is free. Select Print or save as PDF to print the sheet, or use your browser’s print dialog to save it as a PDF. The paper size can be set to US Letter or A4 before you print.

Does it show the stroke order with arrows?

No. The sheet does not show stroke order or arrows. The order and direction of strokes differ between handwriting programs, such as Zaner-Bloser and D’Nealian, and a font cannot show them correctly.

The first dark letter in each row is only a model to copy. For the stroke order your class uses, check the handwriting chart your school provides.

Can I print only the capital or only the lowercase letter?

Yes. Set Letters to Capital A only or Lowercase a only, and the sheet shows only that form. The two trace settings, Rows to trace the capital and Rows to trace the lowercase, let you change how much practice each form gets when both are shown.