Cursive K

How to write uppercase K and lowercase k in cursive, one stroke at a time.

Cursive k starts like l, then adds a small knot at the midline and a leg that kicks down to the baseline. The knot is the part people find fiddly; it is a tiny loop drawn clockwise, and once it is the right size the rest of the letter falls into place. The capital K is a stem with a looped arm and leg beside it.

Stroke family: Undercurve letters
Height: k is a tall letter — it reaches up to the top line. k and the other tall letters
Joins the next letter: Lowercase: yes, from the baseline. Capital: yes. The baseline join k uses
Often confused with: cursive h, cursive l, cursive b

Print the K practice sheet Stroke by stroke

Cursive K and k: the pen path, drawn in order

How to write a lowercase k in cursive

Start at the baseline; finish at the baseline, with an exit tail. One continuous stroke.

Start on the baseline with an undercurve up to the top line and loop over to the left, like l.
Slant straight down to the baseline.
Overcurve back up to the midline and make a small clockwise loop — the knot — that closes against the stem.
From the knot, slant down and slightly to the right to the baseline and finish with an undercurve to the midline.

Lowercase cursive k — numbers mark where each part of the stroke begins

Capital cursive K

How to write a capital K in cursive

Start at the top line; finish at the baseline, with an exit tail. Capital K ends with an exit stroke, so it joins the lowercase letter that follows without lifting the pen. K beside the other capitals that join

Start at the top line and draw a stem down to the baseline, finishing with a small curl.
Lift the pen. Start the second stroke at the top line to the right of the stem and curve in toward the stem, meeting it at the midline with a small loop.
From the loop, slant down and out to the baseline and finish with an undercurve to the midline.

How to write cursive K: the pen path for uppercase K and lowercase k on ruled paper, with numbered steps on the lowercase k — Cursive K pen path — numbers on the lowercase k mark where each part begins; arrows show the direction.

Cursive K: uppercase K and lowercase k on ruled paper — Cursive K and k — blue top line, dashed midline, red baseline.

Common mistakes with cursive K

Making the knot too large, so the k reads as an h with a bump.
Skipping the knot entirely, which leaves an h.
Letting the leg swing out too far; it should land about as far from the stem as the knot is wide.

Tips that help

Practise the knot on its own first: a small loop at the midline, clockwise, closing against a vertical line.
Compare k and h side by side — the only difference is that knot.

Practice words with k

Once the letter is comfortable on its own, write it inside words — that is where the joins happen. Watch how the exit tail of k rises to meet the next letter.

kite

key

kitten

kind

kingdom

Want different words? Type a spelling list into the generator and print your own k sheet (letters A–Z and numbers, up to 24 lines of any length, US Letter or A4), or copy more words that use k from the word lists.

k is among the least common letters in English, so it rarely comes up by chance. A pangram puts k into every line you write, which is the quickest way to keep it in practice.

Free cursive K worksheet

Capital K and lowercase k: 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.

Prints on one US Letterpage. Choose “Save as PDF” in the print dialog to download.

Cursive K practice sheet

Uppercase K · lowercase k · kite · key

Name ______________________ Date __________

Capital K

Lowercase k

Together

Words

On your own

cursivealphabet.pro — free cursive practice sheets

k 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 k is usually taught and the four strokes every letter is built from.

← Cursive J Cursive L →K in the whole alphabet

Cursive K questions

How do you write a lowercase k in cursive?

Undercurve to the top line, loop and slant down like an l, then come back up to the midline, make a small clockwise loop against the stem, and kick a leg down to the baseline before exiting with a tail.

How do you write a capital K in cursive?

Draw a stem from the top line to the baseline, lift the pen, then draw an arm from the top that meets the stem in a small loop at the midline and continues as a leg down to the baseline, ending with a tail. Capital K connects to the next letter.

What is the little loop in cursive k?

It is the knot that replaces the sharp angle of the printed k. It is drawn as a tiny clockwise loop at the midline, closed against the stem, and it is what separates k from h.

What are some good words to practise cursive k with?

Good practice words for cursive k are kite, key, kitten, kind and kingdom. The join is what to watch: the undercurve out of k has to reach the baseline before the next letter starts, or the two run together. Watch the loop too: k should reach the top line and come back down on the same slant as the rest of the word. The practice sheet on this page rules the first two, kite and key; the worksheet generator will rule the rest.