R in Cursive: How to Write Capital & Lowercase R
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 R in Cursive
Capital cursive R begins with a downward vertical stem from the headline to the baseline. The pen retraces up to the headline to form an upper rounded lobe tucking in at the midline, and finishes with a diagonal leg slanting to the baseline with an exit stroke.
Writing Steps for Capital R
- 1 Start at the top headline and pull straight down to the baseline.
- 2 Retrace up the stem to the top headline and curve out to form an upper lobe closing at the midline.
- 3 From the midline knot, slant downward to the baseline along the right slant line.
- 4 Touch the baseline and curve upward to the right into an exit stroke.
How to Write a Lowercase r in Cursive
Lowercase cursive r starts at the baseline with an upward undercurve to the dashed midline, extends slightly above the midline to form a small shoulder, dips down slightly, pulls straight down to the baseline, and curls upward into an exit connector.
Writing Steps for Lowercase r
- 1 Start at the baseline and draw an upward undercurve to the dashed midline.
- 2 Make a small horizontal shoulder step just above the midline.
- 3 Dip slightly and pull straight down along the slant line to the baseline.
- 4 Touch the baseline and curve upward to the right to create an exit stroke.
Interactive Tracing: R & r
Use your mouse, trackpad, finger, or stylus to trace the letter directly on the ruled lines.
How Lowercase r 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 r transitions seamlessly into adjacent letters.
Capital R Connecting Rule: Capital R 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 r sweeps smoothly 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 vertical stem of i.
Sweeps up from the baseline into the counter-clockwise oval of o.
Example Words Featuring Cursive R & r
Practice writing complete words that feature cursive R. Every word is composed directly from our verified school-cursive letterforms on standard handwriting guidelines.
Features r connecting into a, double ascender b loops, and crossed t
Smooth midline word practice across r, o, s, and e
Practice double r placement with i, v, and e
Combines r with multiple vowels, humps, and midline bridges
Common Mistakes When Writing Cursive R
Watch out for these common handwriting errors to keep your cursive R legible, balanced, and easy to connect.
Rounding the Shoulder of Lowercase r into an n
The Issue: Failing to make the distinct flat shoulder step turns r into a soft hump like n.
How to Fix: Make a crisp pause at the midline to form the small horizontal shoulder before pulling down to the baseline.
Slanting the Diagonal Leg of Capital R Backwards
The Issue: Leaning the leg inward makes the capital letter look crowded.
How to Fix: Ensure the leg kicks outward to the right with the standard handwriting slant.
Pro Practice Tips for Letter R
- • Keep the shoulder of lowercase r strictly level with or slightly above the dashed midline.
- • Practice the rhythm: up, step, dip, down, exit.
Practice Sheet: Cursive R & r
Trace the faint guide letters on the lines below, then copy the letters independently into the blank spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cursive R
Why does lowercase cursive r have a flat shoulder?
The small horizontal shoulder at the midline distinguishes lowercase cursive r from humped letters like n and looped letters like e.
Does capital cursive R connect to the next letter?
Yes. The diagonal kicking leg of capital R touches the baseline and sweeps up into a standard connecting exit stroke.