Cursive alphabet · Letter P
Cursive P: How to Write Uppercase & Lowercase P
Cursive p has a long straight stem that drops below the baseline, then a bowl. The capital P is a stem and a single bowl, drawn in two strokes.
Cursive P at a glance
Capital P
Lowercase p
Numbered dots mark where each stroke begins. The red line is the baseline; the dashed line is the midline. Style: traditional American school cursive, simplified to a single line.
Capital P in cursive: step by step
- 1Start near the top line and draw a straight stem down to the baseline.
- 2Lift your pen and return to the top of the stem.
- 3Draw a bowl out to the right and back to the stem at the midline.
Lowercase p in cursive: step by step
- 1Start on the baseline and swing up to the midline.
- 2Pull a straight line down through the baseline to the descender line.
- 3Retrace up the stem to the midline and curve right in a round bowl.
- 4Bring the bowl around to the baseline to close it.
Trace cursive P on screen
Use a finger, stylus or mouse. Start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted guide, then press Check to see how much of the guide you covered.
Capital P
Trace over the dotted guide with your finger, mouse or stylus.
Lowercase p
Trace over the dotted guide with your finger, mouse or stylus.
How cursive p joins other letters
The p closes its bowl at the baseline, so the next letter starts from there. Practice 'pp' to keep both descenders the same length.
pa
pe
pi
po
pr
Trace the join: pa
Trace over the dotted guide with your finger, mouse or stylus.
Practice words with p
Capitalized names are written the way they would be on a card or label; lowercase words show how the letters link in a line.
Paul
Paris
Peter
paper
happy
puppy
pencil
Want a word of your own? The worksheet generator makes a practice sheet for any name.
Common mistakes with cursive p
A stem that stops at the baseline
Lowercase p needs a descender. If it stops on the line, it reads as an n.
A bowl that does not close
The bowl should reach back to the stem. If it floats, the p looks like a y.
Cursive p vs q: Cursive p has its bowl on the right of the stem and is drawn clockwise, while q is an oval with a stem on the right and ends with a hook. See cursive Q →
Free printable worksheet: cursive P
One page with capital P, lowercase p, joins and words to trace, plus blank lines for your own writing. Print it on US Letter or A4.
More practice: the full alphabet practice sheets, or all cursive worksheets.