How to Write K in Cursive

How to write a cursive capital K

The traditional cursive capital K is a slanted stem followed, after a lift, by a curved arm that comes in to the stem at the midline, makes a small loop there and kicks out to the baseline.

Start: Just below the top line, slightly left of the stem.

1. 1Start just below the top line with a short upward curve to the right that turns at the top line, like the crook of a cane.
2. 2Slant straight down to the baseline, then lift the pencil.
3. 3Place the pencil on the top line to the right of the stem and curve down and to the left so the stroke meets the stem at the midline.
4. 4Make a tiny loop around the stem at the midline, or just touch it, then curve forward and down to the right.
5. 5Slant the leg to the baseline and finish with an undercurve that rises toward the midline to join the next letter.

Connecting: Capital K joins the next letter from its final undercurve, so Ka, Ke and Ki need no further lift. Palmer-era K often opens with a large entry loop at the top, like a Palmer H, and many writers draw the arm without the small loop at the stem.

How to write a cursive lowercase k

Lowercase cursive k starts like an l, with a tall loop reaching the top line, then adds a buckle: a small closed loop on the right side at the midline, followed by a kick down to the baseline.

Start: On the baseline; the k's loop grows out of the previous letter's exit. · Letter family: Loop letters (e, l, h, k, b, f): k shares its tall opening loop with l, h and b.

1. 1Sweep an undercurve up from the baseline, leaning right, until it touches the top line.
2. 2Loop back to the left and slant straight down to the baseline, crossing your upstroke just below the midline, exactly as for an l.
3. 3From the baseline, retrace a short way up the stem, then make an overcurve to the right that rises to the midline.
4. 4Curve the stroke back toward the stem to form a small closed buckle, touching or nearly touching the stem just under the midline.
5. 5Kick the stroke down and to the right to the baseline, then finish with an undercurve exit.

Connecting: Lowercase k joins on both sides. It enters with an undercurve and leaves from the baseline after the kick, so the next letter starts low, as in kite, keep and ask.

Joining k to other letters

• ckck: In back, check and duck, the c ends on the baseline and the k's loop rises straight out of it. Let the upstroke climb all the way to the top line so the k doesn't shrink to the height of the c.
• knkn: Silent-k words like know, knee and knife put the kick right before n's overcurve. From the k's baseline exit, roll up and over into n's first hump instead of making a pointed start.
• kiki: In kitchen and kite, the kick leaves the baseline and climbs to the midline for the i. Keep that climb clear of the buckle so the two small shapes don't merge into one blot.
• sksk: In ask and desk, the s closes on the baseline, then its exit rises all the way to the top line for k's loop. That's a much taller climb than the s's own peak, so slow down and keep it curved.

Common mistakes with cursive K

• Leaving the buckle open like a printed k

  Bring the curve back to touch the stem before kicking out. An open arm makes cursive k look like a cursive h with a bent leg.

• Making the buckle too tall

  The buckle lives in the middle zone and tops out at the midline. If it climbs toward the top line it crowds the main loop and the letter loses its shape.

• Rounding the bottom of the stem

  Pull the stem straight to the baseline and change direction there before the buckle. A curved stem bottom blends into the buckle and the k reads as an l followed by an e.

• Retracing the whole stem on capital K to avoid a lift

  Most school models lift once, after the stem. Dragging back up the stem to reach the arm usually leaves a doubled, blotchy line.

Easily confused with: Lowercase k gets confused with h (open buckle) and with le or lr when the buckle floats away from the stem. In Palmer-style hands, capital K can look like capital H because both start with a large entry loop.

Practice words with k

• Kevin
• kite
• kitchen
• knock
• bakery
• keep

Cursive K: questions