Cursive Z

How to use the cursive Z worksheet tool

1. Open the Letters control and choose Capital Z and lowercase z, Capital Z only, or Lowercase z only.
2. Set Line size to match the grade: Extra large (1 inch) for pre-K to K, Large (3/4 inch) for K to 1st, Medium (5/8 inch) for 2nd, or Small (3/8 inch) for 3rd and up.
3. Set Rows to trace the capital and Rows to trace the lowercase from 0 to 4 rows each.
4. Set Rows of letter pairs (joins) from 0 to 3.
5. Choose a number of Practice words from Off to 8 words. To add your own, type up to 3 words in Your own words (optional), using letters, hyphens and apostrophes only.
6. Set Blank rows to write on from 0 to 6.
7. Pick Tracing letters: light gray or dotted outline. A dotted outline uses less ink.
8. Pick Lines and Color. Grayscale is the default, and color lines use blue and red.
9. Select Print or save as PDF.

Paper can be set to US Letter or A4. Reset settings returns everything to the defaults, and New worksheet creates a different sheet with the same settings. Because all settings are saved in the page address, a bookmarked or shared link opens the same sheet again.

The built-in practice words for z are zoo, zip, zebra, zero, zigzag, buzz, lazy and pizza. 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.

What do cursive Z’s look like?

A cursive Z is a letter with a sweeping shape and a tail that drops below the writing line. The capital Z is taller than the lowercase z, and both forms are joined to the next letter in a word. On this sheet, the dark model at the start of each row shows the form to copy, and the gray letters after it are for tracing.

How do you write a capital Z in cursive?

Trace the gray capital Z models on the sheet, then compare them with the chart your school uses for the strokes. Stroke order differs between US handwriting programs, such as Zaner-Bloser and D’Nealian, and this page does not claim one. The finished letter reaches the top line and its tail goes below the baseline, down to the descender line. The sheet’s font is modeled on traditional American school cursive, so the shape may not match a different program exactly.

How do you write a lowercase z in cursive?

Trace the gray lowercase z models in the trace row, and check your letter against the chart from your school. The lowercase z is a small letter. It reaches the dashed midline, not the top line, and its tail also goes below the baseline. Unlike the capital, the lowercase z is not a tall letter, so it stays in the lower half of the writing space.

What does the cursive letter z look like on the lines?

The cursive z sits on the handwriting lines with a clear position. The capital Z uses the full height from the top line to the descender line. The lowercase z uses the space from the baseline to the dashed midline, with its tail dropping below the baseline. The letter pairs row shows z next to its neighbors in words, such as zo, zi, ze and gz, so you can see how the letter joins to the next one.