Cursive I
How to write uppercase I and lowercase i in cursive, one stroke at a time.
Cursive i is the letter everything else is measured against: one undercurve up, one slant down, one tail out, and a dot added afterward. Its stroke is the entry stroke for the whole undercurve group. The capital I, by contrast, is one of the odd-looking capitals — a tall, leaning loop with a curl at the bottom.
- Stroke family
- Undercurve letters
- Height
- i is a short letter — it stays between the baseline and the midline. i and the other short letters
- Joins the next letter
- Lowercase: yes, from the baseline. Capital: no — lift the pen. The baseline join i uses
How to write a lowercase i in cursive
Start at the baseline; finish at the baseline, with an exit tail. One continuous stroke, plus the dot.
- Start on the baseline with an undercurve up to the midline.
- Slant straight back down to the baseline, retracing part of your first stroke.
- Finish with an undercurve to the midline.
- After the word is written, come back and place a dot directly above the letter, a little above the midline.
Lowercase cursive i — numbers mark where each part of the stroke begins
Capital cursive I
How to write a capital I in cursive
Start at the baseline; finish at the baseline, with a curl (pen lifts). Capital I does not join the next letter: finish it, lift the pen, and begin the next letter on its own. I beside the other capitals that need a pen lift
- Start on the baseline and draw an undercurve that rises all the way to the top line, leaning right.
- At the top, loop over to the left and slant down to the baseline.
- Finish with a small curl to the left along the baseline.
Common mistakes with cursive I
- Dotting the i as you go instead of after the word — that lift breaks the flow and the dot usually lands in the wrong place.
- Making a loop at the top: i must retrace, or it becomes an e.
- Placing the dot too high; it belongs just above the midline, not up at the top line.
Tips that help
- Write a whole row of i's joined together and only then go back and dot them all.
- Keep every i the same height as the midline; uneven i's are the first thing that makes cursive look messy.
Practice words with i
Once the letter is comfortable on its own, write it inside words — that is where the joins happen. Watch how the exit tail of i rises to meet the next letter.
ice
ink
inside
island
imagine
Want different words? Type a spelling list into the generator and print your own i sheet (letters A–Z and numbers, up to 24 lines of any length, US Letter or A4), or copy more words that use i from the word lists.
Free cursive I worksheet
Capital I and lowercase i: 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 I practice sheet
Uppercase I · lowercase i · ice · ink
Name ______________________ Date __________
Capital I
Lowercase i
Together
Words
On your own
cursivealphabet.pro — free cursive practice sheets
i and its stroke family
Undercurve letters begin with a stroke that swings up from the baseline: i, u, w, t, j, p, r, s, e, l, b, h, k and f. Learn i and u first — every other letter in the group is built on that same entry stroke.
Families are also the order to learn in, rather than A to Z: the beginner’s guide covers when i is usually taught and the four strokes every letter is built from.
Cursive I questions
How do you write a lowercase i in cursive?
Undercurve up to the midline, slant straight back down to the baseline, and undercurve out to the next letter. Dot it after you finish the word, just above the midline.
How do you write a capital I in cursive?
Start on the baseline, sweep up to the top line, loop over to the left, slant down to the baseline and end with a small curl. It looks like a tall, leaning loop and does not connect to the next letter.
When do you dot the i in cursive?
After the whole word is written. Cursive is joined, so you keep the pen on the paper through the word and then go back to add dots and crosses.
What are some good words to practise cursive i with?
Good practice words for cursive i are ice, ink, inside, island and imagine. The join is what to watch: the undercurve out of i has to reach the baseline before the next letter starts, or the two run together. Watch the height too: i should stop at the midline, level with the short letters either side of it. The practice sheet on this page rules the first two, ice and ink; the worksheet generator will rule the rest.
Cursive Alphabet — cursive I