S in Cursive: How to Write Capital & Lowercase S
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 S in Cursive
Capital cursive S begins at the baseline and sweeps high up to the top headline in a sharp rightward slant. At the peak it forms a small pointed loop, curves downward in a broad rounded belly to the baseline, loops back to tie against the entry stem, and sweeps rightward to connect.
Writing Steps for Capital S
- 1 Start at the baseline and sweep upward in a sharp rightward slant to the top headline.
- 2 Form a small pointed loop at the top headline.
- 3 Curve downward to the right in a broad rounded belly that touches the baseline.
- 4 Tuck backward to touch the initial entry slant, then sweep right across the baseline to create an exit stroke.
How to Write a Lowercase s in Cursive
Lowercase cursive s starts at the baseline with a sharp upward slant to the dashed midline. It pauses at the peak, curves down and to the right in a rounded belly touching the baseline, tucks back into the upward slant, and retraces along the baseline into an exit stroke.
Writing Steps for Lowercase s
- 1 Start at the baseline with a sharp upward slant to the dashed midline.
- 2 Turn slightly and curve downward to the right in a rounded belly touching the baseline.
- 3 Tuck the belly back into the initial upward slant at the baseline.
- 4 Re-trace along the baseline to the right and curve upward into a connecting exit stroke.
Interactive Tracing: S & s
Use your mouse, trackpad, finger, or stylus to trace the letter directly on the ruled lines.
How Lowercase s 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 s transitions seamlessly into adjacent letters.
Capital S Connecting Rule: Capital S 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 s sweeps smoothly into the entry undercurve of a.
Curves up from the baseline directly into the small open loop of e.
Flows from the baseline directly up into the tall ascending loop of h.
Travels from baseline directly up toward the headline for the stem of t.
Double s practice: the exit of the first s transitions immediately into the sharp upward slant of the second s.
Example Words Featuring Cursive S & s
Practice writing complete words that feature cursive S. Every word is composed directly from our verified school-cursive letterforms on standard handwriting guidelines.
Connects s into cup u and double-hump n
Sharp slant s into tall t, midline a, and shoulder r
Practice s into hump n, oval a, and ascender k
Great practice for multiple s letters in a single word
Common Mistakes When Writing Cursive S
Watch out for these common handwriting errors to keep your cursive S legible, balanced, and easy to connect.
Failing to Tuck the Belly Back Into the Stem
The Issue: Leaving the belly open makes lowercase s look like a printed s or an unclosed c.
How to Fix: Always tuck the bottom of the belly all the way back to touch the upward entry line at the baseline.
Omitting the Exit Stroke
The Issue: Stopping at the tuck leaves no connection into the following letter.
How to Fix: After tucking into the stem, retrace along the baseline to extend the exit connector.
Pro Practice Tips for Letter S
- • Keep the upward slant straight and sharp: it should look like a sailboat sail when paired with the rounded belly.
- • Make sure the belly rests firmly on the solid baseline.
Practice Sheet: Cursive S & s
Trace the faint guide letters on the lines below, then copy the letters independently into the blank spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cursive S
Why does cursive s tuck back into itself?
Tucking the rounded belly back into the initial slant line closes the letter and creates a sturdy anchor for the exit connector to flow into the next letter.
Does capital cursive S connect to the next letter?
Yes. The baseline tie of capital S sweeps out to the right in a continuous stroke that joins the following letter.