M in Cursive: How to Write Capital & Lowercase M
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 M in Cursive
Capital cursive M is formed in a continuous multi-arch stroke. It begins at the baseline with an upward sweep to the headline, drops to the baseline, retraces up to form a second headline arch, drops again, and forms a third arch that finishes with a baseline exit curve.
Writing Steps for Capital M
- 1 Start at the baseline with a leftward entry curve that sweeps up to the top headline.
- 2 Pull straight down to the baseline for the first stem.
- 3 Retrace up the stem to the headline, arch over to form the second stem down to the baseline.
- 4 Retrace up again to form the third arch, drop to the baseline, and curve up into an exit stroke.
How to Write a Lowercase m in Cursive
Lowercase cursive m is made of three connected midline humps. It begins at the baseline, sweeps up to the dashed midline, drops straight to the baseline, retraces to form a second hump, drops, retraces to form a third hump, and curls up into an exit stroke.
Writing Steps for Lowercase m
- 1 Start at the baseline with an upward overcurve to the dashed midline.
- 2 Pull straight down to the baseline for the first hump.
- 3 Retrace up the stem to the midline, arch over to the right, and drop to the baseline for the second hump.
- 4 Retrace up to the midline for the third hump, drop to the baseline, and curve up into an exit stroke.
Interactive Tracing: M & m
Use your mouse, trackpad, finger, or stylus to trace the letter directly on the ruled lines.
How Lowercase m 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 m transitions seamlessly into adjacent letters.
Capital M Connecting Rule: Capital M 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 m flows directly into the entry undercurve of a.
Curves up from the baseline directly into the small open loop of e.
Travels from baseline up to the midline to form the stem of i.
Sweeps up from the baseline into the counter-clockwise oval of o.
Example Words Featuring Cursive M & m
Practice writing complete words that feature cursive M. Every word is composed directly from our verified school-cursive letterforms on standard handwriting guidelines.
Combines triple-hump m with double o and double-hump n
Practice m transitioning through o, n, k, e, and descending y
Flows through midline and ascender letters smoothly
Connects m into midline i and tall ascenders l and k
Common Mistakes When Writing Cursive M
Watch out for these common handwriting errors to keep your cursive M legible, balanced, and easy to connect.
Drawing Only Two Humps on Lowercase m
The Issue: Writing two humps turns lowercase m into a lowercase n.
How to Fix: Always count three distinct downward stems for lowercase m.
Lifting the Pen Between Humps
The Issue: Lifting the pen creates jagged, detached humps that look messy.
How to Fix: Retrace up each stem in one smooth, continuous rhythm without lifting the pen.
Pro Practice Tips for Letter M
- • Keep all three humps of lowercase m at the exact same height along the dashed midline.
- • Space the humps evenly to maintain visual rhythm.
Practice Sheet: Cursive M & m
Trace the faint guide letters on the lines below, then copy the letters independently into the blank spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cursive M
How many humps does lowercase cursive m have?
Lowercase cursive m has three humps (three downward stems), whereas lowercase n has two humps.
Does capital cursive M connect to the next letter?
Yes. The final arch of capital M touches the baseline and curves upward to connect directly to the next letter.