Not in cursive
"not" takes 2 strokes to write in cursive: the letters in one flow, then cross the t. Follow the letter-by-letter steps below and print the free worksheet to trace and copy it.
Lowercase
Capitalized
Free not worksheet
Not in cursive practice sheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
"not" 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 not in cursive
- Start with the n (overcurve, slant, overcurve, slant, undercurve): two rounded humps made with overcurves.
- 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 t (undercurve, slant, undercurve; cross): a tall retraced undercurve and slant, shorter than the l, crossed after the word is written.
- After the word, cross the t.
How the letters in not connect
- no n to o: an undercurve join. The exit stroke of the n swings up into the o.
- ot o to t: a checkstroke join. The o ends at the midline, so the t starts from the top instead of from the baseline.
The letters in not
Not questions
How many strokes does it take to write not in cursive?
2 strokes: one continuous stroke for the letters, then cross the t. Inside a word the pencil stays on the paper; dots and crosses are added once the word is finished.
Which letters in not are joined at the midline?
The o. This letter ends 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 "not" look different from a word with only baseline joins.
Is not capitalized in cursive?
Only at the start of a sentence or in a title. In running text "not" is written in lowercase, all letters joined. The capitalized form Not is shown above for sentence openers and headings.
Is not an easy word to write in cursive?
Yes. None of its letters (n, o, t) is among the tricky ones (r, s, f, k, b), which makes "not" a good early practice word.