Cursive M: how to write the letter M in cursive
The lowercase cursive m is three humps made with overcurves, all the same height: in Zaner-Bloser terms, overcurve, slant, overcurve, slant, overcurve, slant, undercurve. It belongs to the overcurve letters (start by going over the top, like n and m) and is a medium-difficulty letters to learn. Below you will find the capital and lowercase M on three-line guides, stroke-by-stroke instructions, practice words, and a free printable worksheet in the same school cursive style.
Lowercase m at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (overcurve, slant, overcurve, slant, overcurve, slant, undercurve)
- Starts
- at the baseline
- Ends
- with an undercurve up to the midline
- Family
- overcurve letters
Capital M at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (curve forward, slant, overcurve, slant, overcurve, slant, undercurve)
- Starts
- at the baseline
- Next letter
- joins without lifting the pencil
Capital cursive M
Lowercase cursive m
Free cursive M worksheet
Cursive M practice worksheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
Capital M and lowercase m to trace, copy and write on your own, plus four practice words (mom, map, milk, moon). Three-line guides, standard school cursive.
How to write a lowercase m in cursive
- Start at the baseline. Curve over to the midline and slant down to the baseline.
- Curve over again and slant down for the second hump.
- Curve over a third time and slant down for the third hump.
- Make an undercurve up to the midline to join the next letter.
Tip: Count "one, two, three" as you draw the humps. All three should touch the midline.
How to write a capital M in cursive
- Start at the baseline. Curve forward to the topline and slant down to the baseline.
- Curve over and slant down for the second hump, then curve over and slant down for the third.
- Make an undercurve up to the midline. The capital M joins the next letter.
The capital M joins the next letter, so names and sentence openers are written in one motion.
Cursive words with the letter m
Practice the m 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 M
- Drawing only two humps, which makes an n.
- Making the humps pointed instead of rounded.
- Letting the humps shrink as you go so the m leans to one side.
Letters that use the same motion
The m is easier to master alongside letters that start the same way. Practice these together:
Cursive M questions
Does the capital M connect to the next letter in cursive?
Yes. In standard school cursive the capital M ends with an exit stroke that joins the next letter, so a word like "Mom" is written without lifting the pencil.
Where does the lowercase m end?
The lowercase m 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 M hard to learn?
The m is a medium-difficulty letters of the cursive alphabet. Count "one, two, three" as you draw the humps. All three should touch the midline.
Which cursive style is the M 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.