Cursive U
How to write uppercase U and lowercase u in cursive, one stroke at a time.
Cursive u is two i's without the dots — undercurve up, slant down, undercurve up, slant down, tail. It is the mirror image of n: where n arches over the top, u dips under. The capital U is the same shape scaled to the top line.
- Stroke family
- Undercurve letters
- Height
- u is a short letter — it stays between the baseline and the midline. u and the other short letters
- Joins the next letter
- Lowercase: yes, from the baseline. Capital: yes. The baseline join u uses
How to write a lowercase u in cursive
Start at the midline; finish at the baseline, with an exit tail. One continuous stroke.
- Start at the midline; in a word, the joining stroke from the letter before brings you there.
- Slant down to the baseline.
- Undercurve up to the midline, come straight back down to the baseline, and finish with an undercurve to the midline.
Trace cursive u 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 u — numbers mark where each part of the stroke begins
Capital cursive U — numbers mark where each part of the stroke begins
How to write a capital U in cursive
Start on the left, with a small curl; finish at the baseline, with an exit tail. Capital U ends with an exit stroke, so it joins the lowercase letter that follows without lifting the pen. U beside the other capitals that join
- Start at the midline on the left with a small curl and rise over to the top line.
- Slant down, curving at the bottom, to the baseline and up the other side to the top line.
- Come straight back down the same line to the baseline and finish with an undercurve to the midline.
Common mistakes with cursive U
- Rounding the bottom too much, so u becomes a wide bowl and looks like a v-and-u blend.
- Making the two upstrokes different heights.
- Adding a dot out of habit — u never gets one.
Tips that help
- Write "iu" and "ui": the strokes are identical, only the dot changes.
- The space between the two stems should be the width of an o.
Easy to mistake for V or n
Look at the bottom and the finish. U is round at the bottom and comes back down its right side to the baseline. V comes to a sharp point and finishes up at the top line with a curl. Cursive V
They are the same strokes the other way up. n is round at the top and pointed at the bottom; u is pointed at the top and round at the bottom. Cursive n
Can you tell U from V at a glance? Take the reading test · Print a comparison practice sheet
Practice words with u
Once the letter is comfortable on its own, write it inside words — that is where the joins happen. Watch how the exit tail of u rises to meet the next letter.
Want different words? Type a spelling list into the generator and print your own u sheet (letters A–Z and numbers, up to 24 lines of any length, US Letter or A4), or copy more words that use u from the word lists.
Free cursive U worksheet
Capital U and lowercase u: 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 U practice sheet
Uppercase U · lowercase u · up · use
Name ______________________ Date __________
Capital U
Lowercase u
Together
Words
On your own
cursivealphabet.pro — free cursive practice sheets
u 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 u is usually taught and the four strokes every letter is built from.
Cursive U questions
How do you write a lowercase u in cursive?
Undercurve up to the midline, slant down, undercurve up again, slant down, and exit with a tail. It is two i-strokes joined and has no dot.
How do you write a capital U in cursive?
Start with a small curl at the midline and rise to the top line, curve down to the baseline and back up to the top line, then come straight back down and exit with a tail. Capital U connects to the next letter.
How do you tell cursive u from cursive n?
u begins with an undercurve that dips under; n begins with an overcurve that arches over. Turn the page upside down and the letters swap.
What are some good words to practise cursive u with?
Good practice words for cursive u are up, use, under, uncle and umbrella. The join is what to watch: the undercurve out of u has to reach the baseline before the next letter starts, or the two run together. Watch the height too: u should stop at the midline, level with the short letters either side of it. The practice sheet on this page rules the first two, up and use; the worksheet generator will rule the rest.
Cursive Alphabet — cursive U