Cursive S: how to write the letter S in cursive
The lowercase cursive s is an undercurve to the midline, a curve back down that closes on the upstroke, then an undercurve out: in Zaner-Bloser terms, undercurve, curve down, undercurve. It belongs to the undercurve letters (start with a swing up from the baseline) and is one of the harder letters to learn. Below you will find the capital and lowercase S on three-line guides, stroke-by-stroke instructions, practice words, and a free printable worksheet in the same school cursive style.
Lowercase s at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (undercurve, curve down, undercurve)
- Starts
- at the baseline
- Ends
- with an undercurve up to the midline
- Family
- undercurve letters
Capital S at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (undercurve, loop, double curve, curve up, curve right)
- Starts
- at the baseline
- Next letter
- stands alone: lift the pencil first
Capital cursive S
Lowercase cursive s
Free cursive S worksheet
Cursive S practice worksheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
Capital S and lowercase s to trace, copy and write on your own, plus four practice words (sun, sit, sea, star). Three-line guides, standard school cursive.
How to write a lowercase s in cursive
- Start at the baseline. Make an undercurve up to the midline in a straight slanted upstroke.
- Curve down to the right and back to the left, touching the upstroke at the baseline.
- Make an undercurve up to the midline to join the next letter.
Tip: Cursive s is the most searched letter for a reason: it looks nothing like print. Write it as an upstroke with a little belly, not as a snake.
How to write a capital S in cursive
- Start at the baseline. Make an undercurve up to the topline and a loop back to the left.
- Make a double curve down to the baseline, like a print S.
- Curve up and curve right to finish. The capital S stands alone: lift the pencil before the next letter.
The capital S does not join the next letter. Lift the pencil after the S and start the next letter on the baseline.
Cursive words with the letter s
Practice the s 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 S
- Drawing the s as a print s with a tail, which breaks the flow.
- Making the closed part so big that the s looks like a small o.
- Ending on the wrong side, so the join to the next letter starts inside the curve.
Letters that use the same motion
The s is easier to master alongside letters that start the same way. Practice these together:
Cursive S questions
Does the capital S connect to the next letter in cursive?
No. The capital S is one of the few capitals that stands alone. Finish the S, lift the pencil, and start the next letter fresh on the baseline.
Where does the lowercase s end?
The lowercase s 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 S hard to learn?
The s is one of the harder letters of the cursive alphabet. Cursive s is the most searched letter for a reason: it looks nothing like print. Write it as an upstroke with a little belly, not as a snake.
Which cursive style is the S 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.