Cursive handwritingGrades 2–4
Cursive L
A one-letter cursive page for L and l, with a big model, tracing lines for both cases, and three practice words. It suits children in grades 2 to 4 who are learning loops.
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On this page
Small l is a plain tall loop, and it is one of the first letters where cursive looks quite different from print. The capital L also has a loop, which is not in the print letter.
Inside the sheet
Printing the sheet gives you a single focus letter. The model Ll is at the top with a short caption listing leaf, lamp, lion. Every row below it uses the same three guides (top line, dashed midline, baseline), and each repeats its letter or word across the width of the page, starting with one dark copy for the eye to follow.
For the letterforms the sheet relies on Cedarville Cursive, a free font whose style resembles a teacher writing on a board. It is not tied to Zaner-Bloser or any other program. Capital L on the model starts with a curve at the top and finishes with a loop at the baseline.
Choices
Two settings matter here. Line size has three choices: Large (beginners), Medium and Small (confident writers), with Medium chosen on opening. Larger lines mean fewer rows per page, so the sheet may run to a second page. Letter lets you jump to any of the 26 letters from the same page.
How to form small l
Start on the baseline with an upstroke that climbs to the top line. Loop to the left and bring the line straight back down to the baseline, then finish with an upstroke that heads to the right. The loop should be narrow but open, with light showing inside.
How to form capital L
Begin with a curl at the top, curve down to the baseline in a slightly leaning line, and make a small loop along the bottom. Finish by drawing the line out to the right. Check against your school's chart. The route described is Zaner-Bloser style, and the font on this page, like D'Nealian, may not match it stroke for stroke.
Letter group and joins
Small l belongs to the undercurve group. Its tall loop is the same as b, h and k, and it is the purest example of the pattern.
The upstroke at the end of l leads to the next letter at the baseline, which is a low join. 'Leaf' and 'lamp' are easy for that reason. The lower join also means l is a good partner for e, which is the most common pair, as in 'le'.
Troubleshooting
A loop squeezed into a single line leaves l looking like a print l, and the loop is missing. A loop that is too short looks like an e. Children also lean the loop too far, which makes the letters run into each other.
Worked example: writing lion
Hana, age seven, traces 'lion'. The first l looks like an e because it stops at the midline. Her parent draws a small arrow up to the top line. After that, her l loops reach the line. The i, the o and the n follow. She notes the o needs a bridge from the top because it follows an i's flick. She writes lion once on the clear line and compares the l's height to her own f.
Next steps
Two good follow-ups: cursive m, or the cursive worksheets A to Z for a mixed page of every pair. Before this letter, you may want cursive K.