Cursive O: how to write the letter O in cursive
The lowercase cursive o is a closed oval that ends with a checkstroke at the midline: in Zaner-Bloser terms, downcurve, undercurve, checkstroke. 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 O on three-line guides, stroke-by-stroke instructions, practice words, and a free printable worksheet in the same school cursive style.
Lowercase o at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (downcurve, undercurve, checkstroke)
- Starts
- at the below the midline
- Ends
- with a checkstroke at the midline
- Family
- downcurve letters
Capital O at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (downcurve, undercurve, curve right)
- Starts
- at the topline
- Next letter
- stands alone: lift the pencil first
Capital cursive O
Lowercase cursive o
Free cursive O worksheet
Cursive O practice worksheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
Capital O and lowercase o to trace, copy and write on your own, plus four practice words (on, owl, open, orange). Three-line guides, standard school cursive.
How to write a lowercase o in cursive
- Start just below the midline. Curve down and around to the left to make the oval.
- Make an undercurve up to the midline, closing the oval.
- Finish with a checkstroke: a short flat stroke at the midline, which joins the next letter from the top.
Tip: o is a checkstroke letter. In "or", "ot" and "on" the next letter starts at the midline, not the baseline.
How to write a capital O in cursive
- Start at the topline. Curve down and around to the left to make a large oval that touches the baseline.
- Make an undercurve up to the topline, closing the oval, and curve right. The capital O stands alone: lift the pencil before the next letter.
The capital O does not join the next letter. Lift the pencil after the O and start the next letter on the baseline.
Cursive words with the letter o
Practice the o 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 O
- Dropping the exit to the baseline, which turns "on" into "an".
- Leaving the oval open at the top so it reads as a u.
Letters that use the same motion
The o is easier to master alongside letters that start the same way. Practice these together:
Cursive O questions
Does the capital O connect to the next letter in cursive?
No. The capital O is one of the few capitals that stands alone. Finish the O, lift the pencil, and start the next letter fresh on the baseline.
Where does the lowercase o end?
The lowercase o 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 "on" looks different from words that follow a baseline letter.
Is the cursive O hard to learn?
The o is one of the easier letters of the cursive alphabet. o is a checkstroke letter. In "or", "ot" and "on" the next letter starts at the midline, not the baseline.
Which cursive style is the O 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.