Cursive S
Lowercase s is a swan in profile: a curve in, a neck down, a small tail-hook. The capital is the same bird at full size — and the most commonly mangled capital in the alphabet. Both numbered below, with a printable sheet.
Cursive capital S
- Swing in at the top line — full open curve.
- Sweep down through the middle in a big S-bend.
- Curl out to the right at the baseline.
- Finish with a small open tail.
Lowercase s in cursive
- Swing in and up to the middle line.
- Curve back left and down — one S-shape.
- Finish in a small hook at the baseline.
- Exit right, flat along the line.
Watch for: an oversized lowercase — the s waist hollows out and the exit drifts off its hinge.
Trace and write — sssss
Cursive capital S trace — SSS
Write on your own
PNG version — the exact file Download PNG saves
The swan, small and large
The lowercase s keeps its print skeleton but learns to flow: swing in and up to the middle line, then a single S-curve down — out left, back right — finishing in a small hook that curls and exits along the baseline. One stroke, no pencil lift, and the letter should stay modest in size; an s written large develops a gap in its middle that reads as carelessness at any speed. The exit tail matters more here than in most letters: s is a high-frequency connector (st, sh, sk, sp), and its tail is the hinge for all of them.
The capital S is the alphabet's prima donna — a big open double curve that writers either own or fear. The trick is scale and commitment: swing in at the top line with a full open curve down through the middle, then curl out at the baseline to the right. Small capital S's (a top-10 error) look cramped and juvenile; the letter wants its full height. It is also, with G and F, one of the three capitals teachers most often redraw on student work — trace it large, and slowly, several times before attempting it in words.
Capital S in cursive
The cursive capital S keeps the print letter's skeleton and teaches it to flow: a swing in at the top line, one big S-bend sweeping down through the middle, and an open curl out at the baseline to the right. Drawn at full height in a single gesture, it is less a new shape than the old one with entry and exit strokes grafted on.
It is also, with G and F, one of the three capitals teachers most often redraw on student work — the alphabet's prima donna. The error is almost always size: a half-height capital S looks cramped and juvenile, while the letter wants its full two-line height and a slower stroke. Trace it large several times before attempting it in words; Sunday, Saturday and September will thank you.
Teaching tips
Keep the small s small
The lowercase lives between baseline and middle line — enlarging it opens a gap in the waist. If the middle of the s looks hollow, shrink the letter, don't fix the curve.
Big S: full height, full commitment
The capital uses its whole two-line height. A half-size capital S is the most common capital error on classroom walls — bigger and slower is the fix.
Practice s as a connector
Once the letter is smooth, drill "st" and "sh" — the s tail is the hinge of English's most common consonant clusters, and it deserves targeted reps.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a capital S in cursive?
Swing in at the top line into a full open curve, sweep down through the middle line in a big S-bend, then curl out to the right at the baseline with a small open tail — use the letter's full height.
How do you write a lowercase s in cursive?
Swing in and up to the middle line, curve back left and down in a single S-shape, then finish with a small hook at the baseline, exiting right along it.
Why does my cursive s look messy?
Almost always size — an oversized s develops a hollow waist and a drifting exit. Keep it between the two lines and let the exit tail stay flat along the baseline.
Does cursive s connect to t and h?
Constantly — st, sh, sk and sp are English workhorses. The s exit tail is deliberately flat and low, the perfect hinge for letters that start with a downstroke.
Is cursive capital S just a bigger lowercase s?
The skeleton is the same swan in profile — the capital adds scale, a more open entry swing, and the full two-line height. Writing it too small is the classic error; give the letter its whole height and slow the stroke.