Only in cursive
"only" 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 only worksheet
Only in cursive practice sheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
"only" 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 only in cursive
- Start with the o (downcurve, undercurve, checkstroke): a closed oval that ends with a checkstroke at the midline.
- From the checkstroke of the o, write the n (overcurve, slant, overcurve, slant, undercurve): two rounded humps made with overcurves.
- Swing up into the l (undercurve, loop, slant, undercurve): one tall loop, the simplest tall letter.
- Swing up into the y (overcurve, slant, undercurve, slant, loop, overcurve): an overcurve, a slant, an undercurve and a second slant that drops below the baseline into a loop.
How the letters in only connect
- on o to n: a checkstroke join. The o ends at the midline, so the n starts from the top instead of from the baseline.
- nl n to l: an undercurve join. The exit stroke of the n swings up into the l.
- ly l to y: an undercurve join. The exit stroke of the l swings up into the y.
The letters in only
Only questions
How many strokes does it take to write only 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 only 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 "only" look different from a word with only baseline joins.
Is only capitalized in cursive?
Only at the start of a sentence or in a title. In running text "only" is written in lowercase, all letters joined. The capitalized form Only is shown above for sentence openers and headings.
Is only an easy word to write in cursive?
Yes. None of its letters (o, n, l, y) is among the tricky ones (r, s, f, k, b), which makes "only" a good early practice word.