Cursive i

In cursive, the lowercase letter i takes 1 stroke plus 1 dot and is a tall letter that reaches the top line. 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. In English text i is the number 5 most common letter, at about 7% of all letters, so it comes up in nearly every line you write.

One short slanted stroke with a small upstroke at the end, then lift for the dot.

Stroke by stroke

Start on the dashed midline at the middle. Curve straight down, ending just above the baseline at the middle.
Lift your pen and add the dot just above the dashed midline, centered over the letter.

Print a practice sheet

Common mistakes

Putting the dot to the side instead of straight above the stem.

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

Words with i to practise

bird

city

fish

gift

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 i joins to the next letter

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

in: a rising join: the connector climbs from the baseline to the next letter's start; the n starts at the midline

il: a low join: the connector runs along the baseline; the l starts at the baseline

it: a rising join: the connector climbs from the baseline to the next letter's start; the t starts at the top line

ic: a rising join: the connector climbs from the baseline to the next letter's start; the c starts at the midline

ie: a low join: the connector runs along the baseline; the e starts at the baseline

ig: a rising join: the connector climbs from the baseline to the next letter's start; the g starts at the midline

Words with i to practise

bird

city

fish

gift

girl

give

kind

king

Questions about cursive lowercase i

How many strokes is the lowercase letter i in cursive writing?

1 stroke and 1 dot. Add the dot last, after the letter is finished.

Where do I start i in cursive?

Start on the dashed midline at the middle. Curve straight down, ending just above the baseline at the middle.

Is cursive i 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 i confused with?

i is most often confused with e. 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 i?

Yes. Open the worksheet maker, type iii 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.