Zaner-Bloser cursive
Zaner-Bloser is the handwriting style most American children learn in school and the one most American adults recognize as "cursive". This page explains what makes it distinctive, shows the full Zaner-Bloser style alphabet, and links to free worksheets and handwriting paper that follow the same letter forms.
Zaner-Bloser is a registered trademark of Zaner-Bloser, Inc. PrintableCursive is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Zaner-Bloser. Our worksheets are drawn in the same traditional style; they are not the official curriculum.
The Zaner-Bloser style alphabet
What makes Zaner-Bloser cursive distinctive
- Four basic strokes. Every letter is built from an undercurve, a downcurve, an overcurve and a slant stroke. Children practice the strokes before the letters.
- Letters taught in stroke groups, not A to Z: the letters that start the same way are learned together.
- A consistent right slant and looped ascenders (b, f, h, k, l) that make joined writing fast.
- Classic capitals. The G, Q, S and Z look nothing like print; they are the letters people mean when they say "old-fashioned cursive".
- Vertical print first. Zaner-Bloser manuscript is the upright "ball and stick" print learned in kindergarten and first grade; cursive comes in late second or third grade.
The three lowercase stroke groups
Undercurve letters
Start with a swing up from the baseline.
i t u w e l b h f k r s j p
Downcurve letters
Start with a curve around to the left that closes an oval.
a c d g o q
Overcurve letters
Start over the top, like the first hump of an n.
n m v x y z
The how to write in cursive guide walks through the strokes and the teaching order in detail.
Free worksheets in the Zaner-Bloser style
Cursive alphabet chart
3 pages · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
All 26 letter pairs on three-line guides, alphabet strips, and a trace-the-alphabet page.
Cursive practice sheets
8 pages · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
Lowercase and capital letters by row, the common letter joins, words, sentences and a free-writing page.
Handwriting paper, 1/2 inch ruling
1 page · US Letter, prints on A4 · free
Three-line paper for third grade and up. Other rulings on the handwriting paper page.
Every letter also has a one-page worksheet: pick it from the cursive alphabet. Paper in 1 inch, 3/4 inch and 3/8 inch rulings is on the handwriting paper page.
Zaner-Bloser, D'Nealian or New American Cursive?
Three cursive styles are common in US schools and homeschools. Zaner-Bloser is the traditional one and the most widespread. D'Nealian keeps almost the same cursive letters but changes the print stage to make the transition smoother. New American Cursive is a simplified script popular with homeschoolers that removes most loops and flourishes.
If your child's school uses Zaner-Bloser, or you do not know which style it uses, the worksheets on this site are the right match.
Zaner-Bloser cursive questions
What is Zaner-Bloser cursive?
Zaner-Bloser is the oldest and most widely used handwriting program in US schools, published by Zaner-Bloser, Inc. of Columbus, Ohio. Its cursive is the classic looped, right-slanting script most American adults learned: letters built from four basic strokes (undercurve, downcurve, overcurve and slant), taught in stroke groups rather than in alphabetical order.
Is Zaner-Bloser the same as D'Nealian?
No, but they are close. D'Nealian was created in 1978 as an alternative to Zaner-Bloser. Its print letters are already slanted with small exit tails so the switch to cursive is easier, and a few cursive capitals are simpler. The lowercase cursive letters are almost identical. See the D'Nealian page for a side-by-side comparison.
Are these official Zaner-Bloser worksheets?
No. PrintableCursive is not affiliated with Zaner-Bloser, Inc. Our worksheets use Learning Curve, an independent font drawn in the same traditional school cursive style, so the letter shapes match what a child sees in a Zaner-Bloser classroom. For the official curriculum, textbooks and teacher editions, visit zaner-bloser.com.
What grade does Zaner-Bloser teach cursive?
In the Zaner-Bloser sequence, manuscript (print) is taught in kindergarten through second grade, cursive is introduced in late second grade or third grade, and grades four to six refine speed and legibility. Many schools start cursive in third grade.
Where can I get Zaner-Bloser style handwriting paper?
The blank handwriting paper on this site uses the same three-line layout (top line, dashed midline, baseline) in four rulings, from 1 inch for kindergarten to 3/8 inch for adults. Download it free from the handwriting paper page.