Cursive z
In cursive, the lowercase letter z takes 1 stroke and is a letter with a tail that 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. In English text z is the number 26 most common letter, at about 0.07% of all letters, so it comes up in fewer words than most letters.
A small bar, a diagonal back to the baseline, and a looped tail that drops below the line.
Stroke by stroke
- Start just below the dashed midline at the middle. Sweep down and to the right and make a loop that crosses your own line, ending just above the baseline at the right side.
Common mistakes
Writing the printed z with sharp corners.
z is most often confused with s. Put them side by side and check the first stroke: the starting point and the height are what separate them.
Words with z 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 z joins to the next letter
In connected cursive the pen leaves z 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.
Questions about cursive lowercase z
How many strokes is the lowercase letter z in cursive writing?
1 stroke. Keep going without lifting unless the instructions say so.
Where do I start z in cursive?
Start just below the dashed midline at the middle. 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 z 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 z confused with?
z is most often confused with s. 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 z?
Yes. Open the worksheet maker, type zzz 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.