Words & phrases
Words in Cursive
Words in cursive show what single letters cannot: how each letter joins the next. Pick a word or phrase below to watch it written stroke by stroke, trace it on screen, copy cursive text or download it in six cursive fonts. Every page also explains, letter by letter, how to write it by hand.
Word
Love in cursive
A short word with a graceful capital L and two high joins. Copy, trace or download it for cards and signs.
Phrase
Thank you in cursive
Two words with a capital T, a lift between them and an easy baseline flow. Made for thank-you cards.
Phrase
Happy birthday in cursive
A longer phrase with descenders in p, y and h loops. See it drawn, then copy it or download a PNG.
Word
Hello in cursive
A capital H in three strokes, two tall l loops and a high o join. Copy, trace or download it.
Word
Beautiful in cursive
A two-stroke B, a looped f below the line, and a t and i finished last. Copy, trace or download it.
Word
Mom in cursive
One unbroken stroke: a capital M, an o with a high join and a lowercase m. Copy, trace or download.
Word
Dad in cursive
A two-stroke capital D, then a and d in one movement. Copy, trace or download it.
Word
Family in cursive
A capital F with a midline crossbar and a looped y. Copy, trace or download it.
Word
Faith in cursive
A capital F, then a, i, t and h, with the dot and cross added last. Copy, trace or download it.
Word
Hope in cursive
A three-stroke H, a high o join and a p below the line. Copy, trace or download it.
Word
Blessed in cursive
A two-stroke B, two cursive s shapes and a tall d. Copy, trace or download it.
Word
Dream in cursive
A two-stroke D joined into r, e, a and m. Copy, trace or download it.
Word
Forever in cursive
A capital F, two high joins and two cursive r shapes. Copy, trace or download it.
Printable
Cursive alphabet chart
Every capital and lowercase letter on one page, with the writing lines and common joins. Free PDF.
How letters join in cursive words
A cursive word is written in one movement wherever possible. The connecting strokes are part of each letter, and they come in two kinds:
- Baseline joins: most letters, such as a, d, i, n and u, end on the baseline, so the next letter starts with an upstroke from the bottom.
- High joins: four lowercase letters, b, o, v and w, end at the midline. The next letter starts from that height, which is why "ov" in love and "wo" in two look flat on top.
- Lifts: capitals are usually written on their own, so lift the pen after the capital. Dot the i and j and cross the t and x after the whole word is written.
If a join will not come out right, practice the two letters as a pair. The lowercase cursive letters page groups the letters by join, and the beginner guide adds pairs and short words in a sensible order.
Write any word in cursive
Need a word that is not listed here? Each tool handles a different job:
- The cursive translator converts any sentence to cursive-style text you can copy, and reads it back.
- The cursive generator previews your text in several cursive fonts and styles.
- The worksheet generator turns any word or name into a printable tracing sheet.
- The cursive name generator and cursive signature pages are made for names and initials.
Looking for a name rather than a word? See popular names in cursive, including Emma, Olivia, Liam and Noah.
Cursive words: questions
How do you write words in cursive?
Write each letter with its connecting stroke and keep the pen on the paper until the word is finished. Lift only after a capital and at the end, then go back to dot i and j and cross t and x.
Do you lift the pen in the middle of a cursive word?
Only in a few places: after most capitals, and in some styles before letters such as x. Everywhere else the letters are joined, which is what makes cursive faster than print.
Which words are good for cursive practice?
Short words that mix baseline and high joins, such as love, wave, bone and moon, are ideal. A pangram such as "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" practices every letter in one line.