Cursive C: how to write the letter C in cursive
The lowercase cursive c is a single curve that opens to the right, like a print c with an undercurve out: in Zaner-Bloser terms, downcurve, undercurve. It belongs to the downcurve letters (start by curving around, like a and o) and is one of the easier letters to learn. Below you will find the capital and lowercase C on three-line guides, stroke-by-stroke instructions, practice words, and a free printable worksheet in the same school cursive style.
Lowercase c at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (downcurve, undercurve)
- Starts
- at the below the midline
- Ends
- with an undercurve up to the midline
- Family
- downcurve letters
Capital C at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (downcurve, undercurve)
- Starts
- at the below the topline
- Next letter
- joins without lifting the pencil
Capital cursive C
Lowercase cursive c
Free cursive C worksheet
Cursive C practice worksheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
Capital C and lowercase c to trace, copy and write on your own, plus four practice words (cat, cup, car, cake). Three-line guides, standard school cursive.
How to write a lowercase c in cursive
- Start just below the midline. Curve down and around to the left, touching the baseline.
- Make an undercurve up to the midline to join the next letter.
Tip: Cursive c is the easiest letter of the alphabet. Use it to warm up before the harder oval letters a, d and g.
How to write a capital C in cursive
- Start just below the topline. Curve down and around to the left, touching the baseline.
- Make an undercurve up to the midline. The capital C joins the next letter.
The capital C joins the next letter, so names and sentence openers are written in one motion.
Cursive words with the letter c
Practice the c 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 C
- Closing the curve too much so the c looks like an o.
- Starting at the midline instead of just below it, which flattens the top of the curve.
Letters that use the same motion
The c is easier to master alongside letters that start the same way. Practice these together:
Cursive C questions
Does the capital C connect to the next letter in cursive?
Yes. In standard school cursive the capital C ends with an exit stroke that joins the next letter, so a word like "Cat" is written without lifting the pencil.
Where does the lowercase c end?
The lowercase c ends on the baseline with an upward exit stroke. The next letter starts from that stroke, which keeps the whole word connected.
Is the cursive C hard to learn?
The c is one of the easier letters of the cursive alphabet. Cursive c is the easiest letter of the alphabet. Use it to warm up before the harder oval letters a, d and g.
Which cursive style is the C 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.