Cursive m
In cursive, the lowercase letter m takes 1 stroke and is a short letter that sits between the baseline and the midline. 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 m is the number 14 most common letter, at about 2.4% of all letters, so it comes up in most paragraphs.
Three humps with equal width. Keep the downstrokes parallel to the slant of the page.
Stroke by stroke
- Start just below the dashed midline at the left side. Sweep across to the right and make a loop that crosses your own line, ending just above the baseline at the right side.
Common mistakes
Four humps, or humps of different widths.
m is most often confused with n. Put them side by side and check the first stroke: the starting point and the height are what separate them.
Words with m to practise
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.
How m joins to the next letter
In connected cursive the pen leaves m at the baseline. That exit point decides the connector to the letter that follows. These are the pairs you will write most often.
Words with m to practise
Questions about cursive lowercase m
How many strokes is the lowercase letter m in cursive writing?
1 stroke. Keep going without lifting unless the instructions say so.
Where do I start m in cursive?
Start just below the dashed midline at the left side. Sweep across to the right and make a loop that crosses your own line, ending just above the baseline at the right side.
Is cursive m 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 m confused with?
m is most often confused with n. 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 m?
Yes. Open the worksheet maker, type mmm 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.