Cursive Z: how to write the letter Z in cursive
The lowercase cursive z is an overcurve and slant to the baseline, a small curve down, then a descender loop: in Zaner-Bloser terms, overcurve, slant, curve down, loop, overcurve. It belongs to the overcurve letters (start by going over the top, like n and m) and is one of the harder letters to learn. Below you will find the capital and lowercase Z on three-line guides, stroke-by-stroke instructions, practice words, and a free printable worksheet in the same school cursive style.
Lowercase z at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (overcurve, slant, curve down, loop, overcurve)
- Starts
- at the baseline
- Ends
- with an undercurve up to the midline
- Family
- overcurve letters
Capital Z at a glance
- Strokes
- 1 (curve forward, slant, curve down, loop, overcurve)
- Starts
- at the baseline
- Next letter
- joins without lifting the pencil
Capital cursive Z
Lowercase cursive z
Free cursive Z worksheet
Cursive Z practice worksheet
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
Capital Z and lowercase z to trace, copy and write on your own, plus four practice words (zip, zoo, zap, zero). Three-line guides, standard school cursive.
How to write a lowercase z in cursive
- Start at the baseline. Curve over to the midline and slant down to the baseline.
- Curve down below the baseline with a small point on the baseline.
- Make a loop back to the left, cross on the baseline, and curve over to the midline to join the next letter.
Tip: Cursive z surprises everyone. Learn the y first, then add the little point on the baseline.
How to write a capital Z in cursive
- Start at the baseline. Curve forward to the topline and slant down to the baseline.
- Curve down below the baseline, make a loop back to the left, cross on the baseline, and curve over to the midline. The capital Z joins the next letter.
The capital Z joins the next letter, so names and sentence openers are written in one motion.
Cursive words with the letter z
Practice the z 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 Z
- Writing a print z with a tail. Cursive z looks more like a y with a pointed top.
- Making the point so sharp that the pencil stops; the motion should stay continuous.
Letters that use the same motion
The z is easier to master alongside letters that start the same way. Practice these together:
Cursive Z questions
Does the capital Z connect to the next letter in cursive?
Yes. In standard school cursive the capital Z ends with an exit stroke that joins the next letter, so a word like "Zip" is written without lifting the pencil.
Where does the lowercase z end?
The lowercase z 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 Z hard to learn?
The z is one of the harder letters of the cursive alphabet. Cursive z surprises everyone. Learn the y first, then add the little point on the baseline.
Which cursive style is the Z 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.