Cursive alphabet · Letter R
Cursive R: How to Write Uppercase & Lowercase R
Cursive r is a short upstroke with a small shoulder, and it is one of the most variable lowercase letters. The shoulder is what separates it from i.
Cursive R at a glance
Capital R
Lowercase r
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 R 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 to the right and back to the stem at the midline, then continue with a leg out to the baseline.
Lowercase r in cursive: step by step
- 1Start on the baseline and swing up to a point just above the midline.
- 2Dip down slightly and curve right to form the shoulder.
- 3Finish with a short stroke at the midline, ready to join the next letter.
Trace cursive R 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 R
Trace over the dotted guide with your finger, mouse or stylus.
Lowercase r
Trace over the dotted guide with your finger, mouse or stylus.
How cursive r joins other letters
The r exits at the midline, so it joins smoothly to letters that start high, like a, c and o. For letters that start at the baseline, the stroke dips.
ra
re
ri
ro
ar
Trace the join: ra
Trace over the dotted guide with your finger, mouse or stylus.
Practice words with r
Capitalized names are written the way they would be on a card or label; lowercase words show how the letters link in a line.
Robert
Rachel
Russia
river
carry
write
rainbow
Want a word of your own? The worksheet generator makes a practice sheet for any name.
Common mistakes with cursive r
A shoulder that droops
Keep the shoulder level with the midline. A drooping shoulder makes r look like an n that has run out of ink.
Joining at the baseline
Lowercase r joins to the next letter at the midline, not the baseline. A low join makes 'ra' and 're' look squashed.
Cursive r vs s: Cursive r and s both start with an upstroke. The r stops at the midline and goes sideways, while the s peaks and drops back down to the baseline. See cursive S →
Cursive R questions
Why does cursive r have a shoulder?
The shoulder makes the letter distinct from i and gives the pen a flat stroke at the midline to launch into the next letter.
Free printable worksheet: cursive R
One page with capital R, lowercase r, 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.