Cursive B: how to write the letter B in cursive
The lowercase cursive b is a tall loop that comes back down to the baseline, then a small curve ending in a checkstroke at the midline: in Zaner-Bloser terms, undercurve, loop, slant, undercurve, checkstroke. It belongs to the undercurve letters (start with a swing up from the baseline) and is a medium-difficulty letters to learn. Below you will find the capital and lowercase B on three-line guides, stroke-by-stroke instructions, practice words, and a free printable worksheet in the same school cursive style.
Lowercase b at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (undercurve, loop, slant, undercurve, checkstroke)
- Starts
- at the baseline
- Ends
- with a checkstroke at the midline
- Family
- undercurve letters
Capital B at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (undercurve, slant, retrace, curve around, curve around, undercurve, curve right)
- Starts
- at the baseline
- Next letter
- stands alone: lift the pencil first
Capital cursive B
Lowercase cursive b
Free cursive B worksheet
Cursive B practice worksheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
Capital B and lowercase b to trace, copy and write on your own, plus four practice words (ball, bed, bird, book). Three-line guides, standard school cursive.
How to write a lowercase b in cursive
- Start at the baseline. Make an undercurve up to the topline.
- Make a loop back to the left and slant down to the baseline.
- Make an undercurve up to the midline.
- Finish with a checkstroke: a short flat stroke at the midline, which is where the next letter starts.
Tip: b is a checkstroke letter: the exit sits at the midline, so "be", "bo" and "br" start from the top of the next letter.
How to write a capital B in cursive
- Start at the baseline. Make an undercurve up to the topline, then slant down to the baseline.
- Retrace up the slant and curve around to the right to make the upper bowl, then curve around again for the lower, larger bowl.
- Make a small undercurve and curve right to finish. The capital B stands alone: lift the pencil before the next letter.
The capital B does not join the next letter. Lift the pencil after the B and start the next letter on the baseline.
Cursive words with the letter b
Practice the b inside real words so the joins become automatic. All of these appear on the worksheet.
Each of these words has its own page with the joins explained: see cursive words.
Common mistakes with the cursive B
- Ending the b on the baseline instead of the midline, which makes the join to the next letter look wrong.
- Making the loop too fat so it collides with the letter before.
- Drawing the bowl so large that the b looks like a lowercase l followed by an o.
Letters that use the same motion
The b is easier to master alongside letters that start the same way. Practice these together:
Cursive B questions
Does the capital B connect to the next letter in cursive?
No. The capital B is one of the few capitals that stands alone. Finish the B, lift the pencil, and start the next letter fresh on the baseline.
Where does the lowercase b end?
The lowercase b is a bridge letter: it ends at the midline with a short flat stroke, so the next letter starts from the top rather than from the baseline. That is why "ball" looks different from words that follow a baseline letter.
Is the cursive B hard to learn?
The b is a medium-difficulty letters of the cursive alphabet. b is a checkstroke letter: the exit sits at the midline, so "be", "bo" and "br" start from the top of the next letter.
Which cursive style is the B shown in?
The letters on this page and in the worksheet use the standard school cursive taught in most US classrooms (the Zaner-Bloser style). D'Nealian cursive differs slightly in slant and in a few capitals, but the strokes described here apply to both.