T in Cursive: How to Write It
Lowercase t is taller than i and shorter than l, and it is not finished until you cross it. The cross sits near the midline. Cross at the top and readers see a fancy l.
t
The letterforms on this page are rendered in Cedarville Cursive, an open-source font — school styles like Zaner-Bloser or D'Nealian differ in details. Treat the steps as the source of truth for stroke order; let the sample show you one possible shape.
Write it step by step
- 1Start the cursive t on the baseline and rise above the midline, about halfway to the headline. Not all the way up.
- 2Retrace down to the baseline and exit right, the same join you use for i.
- 3Lift and cross with a short horizontal stroke through the stem, right at the midline.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Full l height. t stops between the midline and the headline. If it touches the top line, it is too tall.
- Crossing above the letter, in the air. The bar has to cut the stem.
- No exit before the cross. The join happens on the baseline; the cross is a second, small stroke.
Practice words
the · to · it · little · letter
Turn this letter into a practice sheet
Opens a cursive tracing sheet with this lesson's words filled in. Download the PDF and print it.
See this letter on the alphabet chart and download the sheet →
Frequently asked questions
When do you cross a cursive t?
After the stem and the exit, often at the end of the word, the same moment you dot an i. Crossing too early makes the bar slant and miss the stem.
Does cursive t connect?
Yes, from the baseline exit. The crossbar does not connect to the next letter. It is a separate stroke, like the dot on i.
How is cursive t different from l?
Height and the bar. l reaches the headline and has no cross. t is shorter and is crossed at the midline. A row of t next to a row of l makes the difference obvious.
Voice to Handwriting · voicetohandwriting.online