Cursive A
Start here. Every short letter in cursive is a variation on a, so getting this shape right pays off across half the alphabet. A cursive a is a short letter, and it hands over to the next letter low.
This is the same renderer the generator uses. Open it with a already filled in to change size, rows and guides, then print.
How to write a cursive a
- Start just below the midline, curve up and left, then close the bowl on the baseline.
- Without lifting the pencil, carry a straight stroke down from the bowl to the midline.
- Exit from the bottom right of the bowl, low and flat, ready for the next letter.
A a sits in the short zone. Capital A takes the same first curve, then finishes with a straight downstroke that lands on the baseline.
Joining a to the next letter
a exits at the baseline, so whatever follows starts low. sa, ma, an.
Where it usually goes wrong
The bowl closes too early and the letter turns into an o with a tail. Keep the opening on the right until the curve comes back to the baseline.
Words to practise after the letter
Once the single letter holds its shape, put it into short words where it appears once: cat, apple, day. Type any of them into the generator above and it will lay out eight ruled rows of tracing for you.