Cursive C
How to write uppercase C and lowercase c in cursive, one stroke at a time.
Cursive c is the simplest oval letter: a single counter-clockwise curve that never closes. It is worth learning right after a, because the same opening curve starts d, g, o and q. The capital C is the same curve scaled to the top line, with a small curl at the start.
- Stroke family
- Downcurve (oval) letters
- Height
- c is a short letter — it stays between the baseline and the midline. c and the other short letters
- Joins the next letter
- Lowercase: yes, from the baseline. Capital: yes. The baseline join c uses
How to write a lowercase c in cursive
Start inside the letter; finish at the baseline, with an exit tail. One continuous stroke.
- Start inside the letter with a small hook: rise and curl over the top to the left, then curve down to the baseline, like the left side of an oval.
- Round along the baseline and finish with an undercurve that rises to the midline, leaving the right side open.
Trace cursive c on screen with a finger or mouse — the board tells you if you start in the wrong place or go the wrong way.
Lowercase cursive c — numbers mark where each part of the stroke begins
Capital cursive C — numbers mark where each part of the stroke begins
How to write a capital C in cursive
Start inside the letter; finish at the baseline, with an exit tail. Capital C ends with an exit stroke, so it joins the lowercase letter that follows without lifting the pen. C beside the other capitals that join
- Start inside the letter, above the midline, with a small curl: round down, across to the right and up into the top of the letter.
- Carry on over the top and sweep down the left side (counter-clockwise) to the baseline in one wide curve.
- Round along the baseline and end with an undercurve to the midline.
Common mistakes with cursive C
- Closing the curve at the right so it turns into an o.
- Making the c too narrow and upright; it should lean with the rest of the word and be about as wide as it is tall.
- Skipping the small hook at the start, which is what lets the previous letter join into c cleanly.
Tips that help
- Think of c as an o that stopped early — same curve, same size, but open on the right.
- Write "ca", "co" and "ce" as a set to feel how the c's exit tail feeds the next letter.
Practice words with c
Once the letter is comfortable on its own, write it inside words — that is where the joins happen. Watch how the exit tail of c rises to meet the next letter.
Want different words? Type a spelling list into the generator and print your own c sheet (letters A–Z and numbers, up to 24 lines of any length, US Letter or A4), or copy more words that use c from the word lists.
Free cursive C worksheet
Capital C and lowercase c: a model to copy, grey letters to write over, dotted letters to trace, two practice words, and blank rows to finish on your own. Prints on one US Letter page.
Cursive C practice sheet
Uppercase C · lowercase c · cat · cake
Name ______________________ Date __________
Capital C
Lowercase c
Together
Words
On your own
cursivealphabet.pro — free cursive practice sheets
c and its stroke family
Downcurve (oval) letters begin at the midline with a counter-clockwise curve that rounds down and back up: a, d, g, o and q close the oval, c leaves it open. Master that curve once and you have six letters.
Families are also the order to learn in, rather than A to Z: the beginner’s guide covers when c is usually taught and the four strokes every letter is built from.
Cursive C questions
How do you write a lowercase c in cursive?
Begin inside the letter with a small hook, curl over the top and back to the left and down to the baseline, then round up into an undercurve tail. It is one stroke and the right side stays open.
How do you write a capital C in cursive?
Start inside the letter with a small curl that rounds up into the top, sweep over and down the left side to the baseline in one large curve, and finish with a tail up to the midline. Capital C connects to the next letter.
What is the difference between cursive c and cursive e?
Cursive e starts from the baseline with a loop; cursive c starts at the midline with a curve and has no loop. If your c has a closed loop in it, you have written an e.
What are some good words to practise cursive c with?
Good practice words for cursive c are cat, cake, circle, cursive and candle. Leave the oval of c open — c is the one oval letter that does not close, and closing it turns the word into one with an a or an o in it. Watch the height too: c should stop at the midline, level with the short letters either side of it. The practice sheet on this page rules the first two, cat and cake; the worksheet generator will rule the rest.
Cursive Alphabet — cursive C