Cursive alphabet · Letter U
Cursive U: How to Write Uppercase & Lowercase U
Cursive u is a cup with a stem, and it is the mirror image of n. Both letters are built from the same two strokes, just turned over.
Cursive U at a glance
Capital U
Lowercase u
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 U in cursive: step by step
- 1Start near the top line with a small curl and curve down the left side.
- 2Round the bottom and come up the right side to the top line.
- 3Retrace down the right side to the baseline and finish with a short exit stroke.
Lowercase u in cursive: step by step
- 1Start at the midline and curve down to the baseline.
- 2Turn up and come back to the midline.
- 3Retrace down the right side to the baseline.
- 4Sweep into a small exit stroke.
Trace cursive U 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 U
Trace over the dotted guide with your finger, mouse or stylus.
Lowercase u
Trace over the dotted guide with your finger, mouse or stylus.
How cursive u joins other letters
The u exits at the baseline, so it joins to most letters. 'ou' is useful practice because the o's high exit has to dip into the u.
un
up
us
ut
ou
Trace the join: un
Trace over the dotted guide with your finger, mouse or stylus.
Practice words with u
Capitalized names are written the way they would be on a card or label; lowercase words show how the letters link in a line.
Uma
Utah
Ursula
sun
music
cute
autumn
Want a word of your own? The worksheet generator makes a practice sheet for any name.
Common mistakes with cursive u
A pointed bottom
Round the bottom of the cup. A pointed bottom makes u look like a v.
No retrace
The second stroke goes up and comes back down over itself. Without that retrace, the u looks like an open cup.
Cursive u vs n: Cursive u and n are mirror images. The u is a cup that opens up, and the n is an arch that opens down. See cursive N →
Free printable worksheet: cursive U
One page with capital U, lowercase u, 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.