How to Write Z in Cursive

How to write a cursive capital Z

The traditional capital Z looks like a slanted cursive 2 on top: a hooked curve across the upper half that comes down to a small loop on the baseline, followed by a descender loop below the baseline.

Start: Just below the top line, on the left.

1. 1Begin a little below the top line with a small overcurve that rises to the top line and curves over to the right.
2. 2Curve down and back to the left in a slanted stroke, like the neck of a numeral 2, reaching the baseline.
3. 3On the baseline, make a small loop or tight turn to the right.
4. 4Continue down below the baseline and form a loop to the left, ending about half a letter height under the line.
5. 5Bring the loop back up to cross at the baseline and exit with an overcurve that rises toward the next letter.

Connecting: Traditional capital Z connects. The loop below the baseline ends with a rising exit that leads straight into the next letter, as in 'Zoe' and 'Zachary'.

How to write a cursive lowercase z

Lowercase cursive z begins with an overcurve hump to the midline, slants down to a small turn on the baseline, then dips below the baseline into a loop that closes at the baseline.

Start: On the baseline, at the end of the previous letter. · Letter family: Overcurve letters, with n, m, v, x and y: z shares the arching start with n and the lower loop with y.

1. 1From the baseline, make an overcurve that arches up to the midline, like the start of an n.
2. 2Slant down to the baseline.
3. 3At the baseline, make a small overcurve turn, a little shoulder or tiny loop that heads right and then down.
4. 4Drop below the baseline and loop to the left, as deep as the loop of a y.
5. 5Come back up to cross at the baseline and finish with an overcurve exit toward the midline.

Connecting: Lowercase z joins on both sides. The descender loop closes at the baseline and the exit rises from there, so the next letter starts in its normal place. Some simplified modern hands write a z that ends on the baseline with no lower loop.

Joining z to other letters

• zeze: Close the z loop at the baseline and rise directly into the e loop. If the exit goes too high, the e balloons; 'freeze' and 'size' should look even.
• zzzz: Write two complete z's, each with its own lower loop. Keep the loops parallel and the same depth so 'pizza' and 'puzzle' don't tangle below the line.
• zozo: The z exit curves up into the top of the o. Close the o fully before adding its bridge, as in 'zoo' and 'zone'.
• azaz: The a exits at the baseline and arches into the z hump. Keep the hump low and round; if it rises too far, 'amazing' starts to look like 'amaning'.

Common mistakes with cursive Z

• Writing a print z inside cursive words

  A zigzag z forces a lift and breaks the join. Use the hump, baseline turn and lower loop, or choose one consistent simplified style and keep it.

• Leaving out the small turn on the baseline

  Make a tiny shoulder before dropping below the line. Without it, the lowercase z becomes an n-hump on top of a loop and reads as y.

• Making the descender loop too wide

  Keep the lower loop narrow and slanted like a y's. A wide round loop collides with the letter before it and looks like a g.

• Writing capital Z like a print Z

  Replace the straight top bar with the curved 2-like hook. A print Z next to cursive lowercase letters looks out of place and can't connect.

Easily confused with: Lowercase cursive z is often misread as y (if the baseline turn is missing) or as a cursive 3 with a tail. Capital Z resembles the numeral 2 with a loop, and a careless one looks like a capital Q.

Practice words with z

• Zoe
• zebra
• pizza
• amazing
• dozen
• Zachary

Cursive Z: questions