Cursive capital Y

In cursive, the capital letter Y takes 1 stroke and is a tall letter that also drops below the baseline. The model on this page is US Traditional, the connected style most American classrooms teach: the pen stays on the paper inside a word, and every letter is drawn to flow into the next. Press Play to watch the letter write itself, then use Step to move one stroke at a time. Capitals start every sentence and every name, so Y deserves its own practice even though it is rarer than its lowercase partner.

A wide cup that continues into a descender loop below the baseline.

Stroke by stroke

Start just below the top line at the left side. Sweep down and to the right and make a loop that crosses your own line, ending just above the baseline at the right side.

Print a practice sheet

Common mistakes

Not dropping below the baseline.

Y is most often confused with U. Put them side by side and check the first stroke: the starting point and the height are what separate them.

Names that start with Y

Practice

Trace on screen first: press Trace it above and follow the grey letter. Then print the sheet and write the same letter on paper. Writing on paper is what builds the habit.

Open the worksheet

How Y joins to the next letter

In connected cursive the pen leaves Y between the baseline and the midline. That exit point decides the connector to the letter that follows. These are the pairs you will write most often.

Ya: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the a starts at the midline

Ye: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the e starts at the baseline

Yo: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the o starts at the midline

Yr: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the r starts at the baseline

Yu: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the u starts at the midline

Yi: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the i starts at the midline

Questions about cursive capital y

How many strokes is the capital letter Y in cursive writing?

1 stroke. Keep going without lifting unless the instructions say so.

Where do I start Y in cursive?

Start just below the top line at the left side. Sweep down and to the right and make a loop that crosses your own line, ending just above the baseline at the right side.

Is cursive Y the same in every school?

US Traditional cursive is the connected style most American schools teach. Teachers may use a different model, such as D'Nealian or Zaner-Bloser, so a few letters (the capital G, Q and Z especially) can differ from your school's handbook.

What letter is Y confused with?

Y is most often confused with U. Put them side by side and check the first stroke: the starting point and the height are what separate them.

Can I print a practice sheet for Y?

Yes. Open the worksheet maker, type Yy or a whole word, pick a line size, and print. The sheet has a dark model row, grey tracing rows, dotted rows and blank lines.