Before in cursive
"before" takes 1 stroke to write in cursive, all in one flow. Follow the letter-by-letter steps below and print the free worksheet to trace and copy it.
Lowercase
Capitalized
Free before worksheet
Before in cursive practice sheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
"before" on three-line guides in two sizes: a solid model, dashed copies to trace, and blank lines to write it on your own.
Want it with other words or a different line size? Use the worksheet generator.
How to write before in cursive
- Start with the b (undercurve, loop, slant, undercurve, checkstroke): a tall loop that comes back down to the baseline, then a small curve ending in a checkstroke at the midline.
- From the checkstroke of the b, write the e (undercurve, loop, slant, undercurve): a small loop between the baseline and the midline.
- Swing up into the f (undercurve, loop, slant, loop, undercurve): the only lowercase letter that uses the full range, with a loop above the midline and a loop below the baseline.
- Swing up into the o (downcurve, undercurve, checkstroke): a closed oval that ends with a checkstroke at the midline.
- From the checkstroke of the o, write the r (undercurve, slide right, slant, undercurve): an undercurve, a short slide to the right at the midline, then a slant down.
- Swing up into the e (undercurve, loop, slant, undercurve): a small loop between the baseline and the midline.
How the letters in before connect
- be b to e: a checkstroke join. The b ends at the midline, so the e starts from the top instead of from the baseline.
- ef e to f: an undercurve join. The exit stroke of the e swings up into the f.
- fo f to o: an undercurve join. The exit stroke of the f swings up into the o.
- or o to r: a checkstroke join. The o ends at the midline, so the r starts from the top instead of from the baseline.
- re r to e: an undercurve join. The exit stroke of the r swings up into the e.
The letters in before
Before questions
How many strokes does it take to write before in cursive?
1 stroke: one continuous stroke for the letters. Inside a word the pencil stays on the paper; dots and crosses are added once the word is finished.
Which letters in before are joined at the midline?
The b, o. These letters end with a short bridge stroke at the midline, so the next letter starts from the top rather than from the baseline. That is what makes "before" look different from a word with only baseline joins.
Is before capitalized in cursive?
Only at the start of a sentence or in a title. In running text "before" is written in lowercase, all letters joined. The capitalized form Before is shown above for sentence openers and headings.
What is the hardest letter in before?
The f and the r. Practice f right after l and g: the top half is an l, the bottom half is a mirrored g loop. r is the letter most adults get wrong. The slide right is tiny: think of a small step, not a hump.