L in Cursive: How to Write Capital & Lowercase L
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 L in Cursive
Capital cursive L is created in one continuous flowing stroke. It starts near the headline with an upward loop, descends in a curved vertical stem to the baseline, forms a small loop sitting on the baseline, and sweeps out in a wavy horizontal baseline foot ready to connect.
Writing Steps for Capital L
- 1 Start just below the headline and curve upward and to the left to form a top loop.
- 2 Pull downward in a smooth, slightly curved stem to the baseline.
- 3 Form a small horizontal loop on the baseline that tucks behind the stem.
- 4 Sweep across the baseline to the right in a gentle wavy stroke that connects to the next letter.
How to Write a Lowercase l in Cursive
Lowercase cursive l is the foundational tall ascender loop. It starts at the baseline, sweeps upward in a rightward slant to the top headline, curves over to the left, descends straight to the baseline, and curls upward into an exit connector.
Writing Steps for Lowercase l
- 1 Start at the baseline and sweep upward to the top headline with a gentle rightward slant.
- 2 Curve over to the left at the top headline.
- 3 Pull straight down along the main slant line to the baseline.
- 4 Touch the baseline and curve upward to the right to create an exit stroke.
Interactive Tracing: L & l
Use your mouse, trackpad, finger, or stylus to trace the letter directly on the ruled lines.
How Lowercase l 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 l transitions seamlessly into adjacent letters.
Capital L Connecting Rule: Capital L 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 baseline exit stroke of l sweeps smoothly into the entry undercurve of a.
Flows from the baseline directly into the small midline loop of e.
Travels from baseline up to the midline to form the stem of i.
Double l practice: two identical tall ascending loops flowing smoothly back-to-back.
Example Words Featuring Cursive L & l
Practice writing complete words that feature cursive L. Every word is composed directly from our verified school-cursive letterforms on standard handwriting guidelines.
Smooth transition from tall l into midline e, m, o, and n
Practice tall l into midline vowels and humps
Features double tall l and double crossed t ascenders
Connects tall l to midline vowels and full-height f
Common Mistakes When Writing Cursive L
Watch out for these common handwriting errors to keep your cursive L legible, balanced, and easy to connect.
Making Lowercase l Too Short
The Issue: Stopping at the midline turns lowercase l into a lowercase e.
How to Fix: Always extend lowercase l all the way to the top headline.
Widening Lowercase l Too Much
The Issue: An overly wide balloon loop crowds neighboring letters.
How to Fix: Keep the upward slant and downward stem close together to create a slender, elegant loop.
Pro Practice Tips for Letter L
- • Master the height difference: lowercase l must be exactly twice the height of lowercase e.
- • Keep the descent straight along the 60-degree slant line rather than curving outward.
Practice Sheet: Cursive L & l
Trace the faint guide letters on the lines below, then copy the letters independently into the blank spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cursive L
What is the difference between cursive l and cursive e?
Height is the primary difference: lowercase l reaches the top headline, while lowercase e stays strictly below the dashed midline.
Does capital cursive L connect to the next letter?
Yes. The wavy horizontal baseline stroke of capital L sweeps upward into an exit connector that joins the following letter.