Cursive M
How to write uppercase M and lowercase m in cursive, one stroke at a time.
Cursive m is three slant strokes joined by two round humps, written without lifting the pen — one arch more than the printed letter, because the entry overcurve arches into the first slant. Keep the humps equal and rounded and the letter stays legible even at speed. The capital M has two peaks and reaches the top line.
- Stroke family
- Overcurve letters
- Height
- m is a short letter — it stays between the baseline and the midline. m and the other short letters
- Joins the next letter
- Lowercase: yes, from the baseline. Capital: yes. The baseline join m uses
How to write a lowercase m in cursive
Start at the midline; finish at the baseline, with an exit tail. One continuous stroke.
- Start at the midline with a small hook; in a word, the joining stroke brings you there.
- Slant down to the baseline.
- Overcurve up to the midline and slant down — the first hump.
- Overcurve up again, slant down to the baseline — the second hump — and finish with an undercurve to the midline.
Trace cursive m 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 m — numbers mark where each part of the stroke begins
Capital cursive M — numbers mark where each part of the stroke begins
How to write a capital M in cursive
Start on the left, with a small curl; finish at the baseline, with an exit tail. Capital M ends with an exit stroke, so it joins the lowercase letter that follows without lifting the pen. M beside the other capitals that join
- Start at the midline on the left with a curl that swings down to the baseline, then rise to the top line.
- Slant down to the baseline.
- Overcurve up to the top line again and slant down to the baseline — two peaks in all.
- Finish with a short exit tail along the baseline.
Common mistakes with cursive M
- Pointing the humps — they should be arches, not the sharp peaks of a printed m.
- Writing only two humps, which produces an n.
- Letting the humps shrink from left to right; all three slant strokes should be the same height.
Tips that help
- Count "one, two, three" for the three slant strokes as you write.
- Write "mn" and "mm" to get a feel for the spacing — each hump should be about as wide as an o.
Easy to mistake for n
Count the humps: n has two, m has three. In a long word, count them from the letter before. Cursive n
Can you tell m from n at a glance? Take the reading test · Print a comparison practice sheet
Practice words with m
Once the letter is comfortable on its own, write it inside words — that is where the joins happen. Watch how the exit tail of m rises to meet the next letter.
Want different words? Type a spelling list into the generator and print your own m sheet (letters A–Z and numbers, up to 24 lines of any length, US Letter or A4), or copy more words that use m from the word lists.
Free cursive M worksheet
Capital M and lowercase m: 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 M practice sheet
Uppercase M · lowercase m · mom · moon
Name ______________________ Date __________
Capital M
Lowercase m
Together
Words
On your own
cursivealphabet.pro — free cursive practice sheets
m and its stroke family
Overcurve letters begin with an arch that comes over the top from the left: m, n, v, x, y and z. The hump is the whole skill — keep it round, not pointed.
Families are also the order to learn in, rather than A to Z: the beginner’s guide covers when m is usually taught and the four strokes every letter is built from.
Cursive M questions
How do you write a lowercase m in cursive?
Overcurve to the midline and slant down, repeat that twice more so you have three slant strokes joined by two rounded humps, then exit with a tail. Cursive m has three strokes where printed m has two humps.
How do you write a capital M in cursive?
Start with a small curl at the left, overcurve up to the top line, slant down, overcurve up again and slant down — two peaks — then finish with a tail. Capital M connects to the next letter.
Why does cursive m have three humps?
Because the entry stroke is an overcurve that arches up before the first slant, making three downstrokes in total. Cursive n has two for the same reason.
What are some good words to practise cursive m with?
Good practice words for cursive m are mom, moon, magic, mitten and morning. Keep the arch of m rounded as the word speeds up; the top of an overcurve is the first thing to turn into a point. Watch the height too: m should stop at the midline, level with the short letters either side of it. The practice sheet on this page rules the first two, mom and moon; the worksheet generator will rule the rest.
Cursive Alphabet — cursive M