Cursive P: how to write the letter P in cursive
The lowercase cursive p is a long slant below the baseline with a small bowl that closes on the baseline: in Zaner-Bloser terms, undercurve, slant, loop, overcurve, curve back, undercurve. 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 P on three-line guides, stroke-by-stroke instructions, practice words, and a free printable worksheet in the same school cursive style.
Lowercase p at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (undercurve, slant, loop, overcurve, curve back, undercurve)
- Starts
- at the baseline
- Ends
- with an undercurve up to the midline
- Family
- undercurve letters
Capital P at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (undercurve, slant, retrace, curve around)
- Starts
- at the baseline
- Next letter
- stands alone: lift the pencil first
Capital cursive P
Lowercase cursive p
Free cursive P worksheet
Cursive P practice worksheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
Capital P and lowercase p to trace, copy and write on your own, plus four practice words (pig, pen, pot, park). Three-line guides, standard school cursive.
How to write a lowercase p in cursive
- Start at the baseline. Make an undercurve up to the midline.
- Slant down through the baseline deep into the descender space.
- Make a narrow loop and curve over to the right at the midline to make the bowl.
- Curve back to the baseline, then make an undercurve up to the midline to join the next letter.
Tip: Say "up, down deep, back up, around". The bowl of the p should look like a lowercase o cut in half.
How to write a capital P 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 bowl, closing it at the midline. The capital P stands alone: lift the pencil before the next letter.
The capital P does not join the next letter. Lift the pencil after the P and start the next letter on the baseline.
Cursive words with the letter p
Practice the p 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 P
- Making the descender a wide loop like a g. The p loop is narrow and retraced.
- Making the bowl too small or leaving it open.
Letters that use the same motion
The p is easier to master alongside letters that start the same way. Practice these together:
Cursive P questions
Does the capital P connect to the next letter in cursive?
No. The capital P is one of the few capitals that stands alone. Finish the P, lift the pencil, and start the next letter fresh on the baseline.
Where does the lowercase p end?
The lowercase p 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 P hard to learn?
The p is a medium-difficulty letters of the cursive alphabet. Say "up, down deep, back up, around". The bowl of the p should look like a lowercase o cut in half.
Which cursive style is the P 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.