A in Cursive: How to Write Capital & Lowercase A
Educational Note: Cursive styles can vary slightly across curricula. The specimens on CursiveABC use a consistent school-style cursive system designed to make initial strokes, loops, and connections easy to understand.
How to Write a Capital A in Cursive
Capital cursive A is an open, flowing oval that reaches from the baseline to the top headline. It starts with a gentle leftward curve, rounds over the top, pulls down along the right slant line, and loops across the center at the midline to connect directly into the following letter.
Writing Steps for Capital A
- 1 Start at the baseline and curve upward to the top headline with a slight rightward slant.
- 2 Round over the headline and pull downward to the baseline along the right side of the letter.
- 3 Retrace upward along the right downstroke to the midline.
- 4 Loop across the center to the left, cross the stem, and sweep right into a connecting exit stroke.
How to Write a Lowercase a in Cursive
Lowercase cursive a is a core midline letter. It begins with an upward undercurve from the baseline, sweeps counter-clockwise to form a closed oval, pulls straight down the right side to touch the baseline, and curls upward into a fluid connecting exit stroke.
Writing Steps for Lowercase a
- 1 Start at the baseline with an upward undercurve to the dashed midline.
- 2 Pause at the midline and curve counter-clockwise back down to the baseline to close the oval.
- 3 From the midline, pull straight down the right edge of the oval to touch the baseline.
- 4 Curve upward to the right to create an exit stroke ready to connect to the next letter.
Interactive Tracing: A & a
Use your mouse, trackpad, finger, or stylus to trace the letter directly on the ruled lines.
How Lowercase a Connects to Other Letters
In continuous cursive handwriting, individual letters flow smoothly into the next. Below are common letter combinations showing how the exit stroke of lowercase a transitions seamlessly into adjacent letters.
Capital A Connecting Rule: Capital A ends with a baseline or midline exit stroke that connects directly into the first lowercase letter of a word (e.g. writing names or sentence starters without lifting the pen).
The exit stroke of a travels directly from the baseline up into the tall ascending loop of b.
The exit stroke curves up from the baseline to form the first overcurve hump of n at the midline.
Flows from the baseline directly up toward the headline to form the vertical stem of t.
Curves up to the midline where r forms its small shoulder and dip.
Example Words Featuring Cursive A & a
Practice writing complete words that feature cursive A. Every word is composed directly from our verified school-cursive letterforms on standard handwriting guidelines.
Features double p descenders following cursive a
Smooth transition from a into the rounded c
Great practice for double r loops
Combines multiple midline letters seamlessly
Common Mistakes When Writing Cursive A
Watch out for these common handwriting errors to keep your cursive A legible, balanced, and easy to connect.
Leaving the Lowercase Oval Open
The Issue: Failing to close the top of the oval makes lowercase a look like a cursive u.
How to Fix: Retrace all the way back to the midline to fully seal the oval before drawing the right downstroke.
Over-slanting Capital A
The Issue: Leaning the capital letter too far forward causes the midline crossing loop to sag below the baseline.
How to Fix: Keep the right downstroke at a consistent 60–70 degree school slant.
Pro Practice Tips for Letter A
- • Maintain a consistent x-height: lowercase a should neatly fill the space between the baseline and dashed midline without spilling over.
- • Keep the bottom curve sitting firmly on the solid baseline before starting the exit hook.
Practice Sheet: Cursive A & a
Trace the faint guide letters on the lines below, then copy the letters independently into the blank spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cursive A
Does capital cursive A connect to the next letter?
Yes. In standard school cursive, the midline exit loop of capital A sweeps down to the baseline and connects naturally to the next lowercase letter.
How do I prevent cursive a from looking like cursive o or u?
Make sure the oval closes completely at the midline (unlike u) and that the exit stroke comes from the bottom baseline (unlike o, which exits from the top).