First in cursive
"first" takes 3 strokes to write in cursive: the letters in one flow, then dot the i and cross the t. Follow the letter-by-letter steps below and print the free worksheet to trace and copy it.
Lowercase
Capitalized
Free first worksheet
First in cursive practice sheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
"first" 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 first in cursive
- Start with 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 i (undercurve, slant, undercurve; dot): a short undercurve and slant, with the dot added after the word is finished.
- Swing up into 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 s (undercurve, curve down, undercurve): an undercurve to the midline, a curve back down that closes on the upstroke, then an undercurve out.
- Swing up into the t (undercurve, slant, undercurve; cross): a tall retraced undercurve and slant, shorter than the l, crossed after the word is written.
- After the word, dot the i, cross the t.
How the letters in first connect
- fi f to i: an undercurve join. The exit stroke of the f swings up into the i.
- ir i to r: an undercurve join. The exit stroke of the i swings up into the r.
- rs r to s: an undercurve join. The exit stroke of the r swings up into the s.
- st s to t: an undercurve join. The exit stroke of the s swings up into the t.
The letters in first
First questions
How many strokes does it take to write first in cursive?
3 strokes: one continuous stroke for the letters, then dot the i, cross the t. Inside a word the pencil stays on the paper; dots and crosses are added once the word is finished.
Are all the letters in first connected?
Yes. Every join in "first" is a baseline join: each letter ends with an upward exit stroke on the baseline and the next letter starts from it. There are no bridge letters (b, o, v, w) in this word.
Is first capitalized in cursive?
Only at the start of a sentence or in a title. In running text "first" is written in lowercase, all letters joined. The capitalized form First is shown above for sentence openers and headings.
What is the hardest letter in first?
The f and the r and the s. 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. 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.