Cursive P

What prints

The page starts with a large dark "Pp" and a note reading "Print: P p" with the words pig, pen, pie. The lines below hold capital P twice, small p twice, three p joined, then the three words. Each line repeats its text across the page, with a dark first copy.

Small p: a letter with a tail

Small p is one of the few letters that drops below the line. Start on the baseline, swing up to the dashed midline, then slide straight down through the baseline into the space beneath, about as far as the letter is tall. Retrace upward to the midline, then curve forward and round into a small closed bowl that rests on the baseline. The long stem is a straight line, not a loop, which separates p from g, j and y.

Many programs sort p with the letters that begin with a stem and a bowl, close to b, h and k in feel. Your child's book might call it a different family.

Capital P

Capital P begins at the top, runs down a slanted stem, returns to the top, and swings into a half-bowl that finishes near the midline. Some versions give P a small curl on the end, and D'Nealian handles it with fewer pen lifts. The model on the sheet is a natural teacher hand, so small differences from your book are normal.

Joining p to what comes next

After the bowl closes, the pencil exits with a short stroke along the baseline, and the join is made there. That is gentler than o or w: p sends its connector out low, so words like "pie" and "pen" flow with little effort. The only snag is that children lift the pencil after the long stem and then forget to retrace.

Frequent errors

• Stem too short so p looks like a small bowl with no tail
• Bowl drawn open, so it reads as a u or an n
• Tail curved like a loop, turning p into g
• The tail running into the line below when lines are tight (try Large size)

The settings

• Practice. "One letter".
• Letter. Opens on P p.
• Line size. Pick Large for new writers, Medium for everyday work, or Small once the hand is steady.

Worked example: Jonas fixes his tail

Jonas, in third grade, writes "pig" with the p's tail curling left. His teacher gives him this page at Line size: Medium. He traces the dark small p aloud: "up, straight down, back up, round". On the "ppp" row his tails stay straight on the second and third copies. In "pig" the join to i stays low and he writes the dot last.

Neighbours: cursive O and cursive Q. For the full set, open cursive worksheets A to Z.

Sources

1. Reading Rockets: Writing (handwriting and writing instruction for children) readingrockets.org