Cursive capital C

In cursive, the capital letter C takes 1 stroke and is a tall letter that reaches the top line. The model on this page is US Traditional, the connected style most American classrooms teach: the pen stays on the paper inside a word, and every letter is drawn to flow into the next. Press Play to watch the letter write itself, then use Step to move one stroke at a time. Capitals start every sentence and every name, so C deserves its own practice even though it is rarer than its lowercase partner.

A big, open oval that starts high on the right, with the same curl at the bottom as the lowercase c.

Stroke by stroke

Start just below the top line at the right side. Curve straight down, ending just above the baseline at the right side.

Print a practice sheet

Common mistakes

Closing the oval into an O.

C is most often confused with E. Put them side by side and check the first stroke: the starting point and the height are what separate them.

Names that start with C

Charlotte

Camila

Chloe

Claire

Practice

Trace on screen first: press Trace it above and follow the grey letter. Then print the sheet and write the same letter on paper. Writing on paper is what builds the habit.

Open the worksheet

How C joins to the next letter

In connected cursive the pen leaves C between the baseline and the midline. That exit point decides the connector to the letter that follows. These are the pairs you will write most often.

Ca: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the a starts at the midline

Ce: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the e starts at the baseline

Co: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the o starts at the midline

Cr: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the r starts at the baseline

Cu: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the u starts at the midline

Ci: a bridge join: the connector leaves at the midline and dips to the next letter's start; the i starts at the midline

Names that start with C

Charlotte

Camila

Chloe

Claire

Carter

Caleb

Christopher

Charles

Questions about cursive capital c

How many strokes is the capital letter C in cursive writing?

1 stroke. Keep going without lifting unless the instructions say so.

Where do I start C in cursive?

Start just below the top line at the right side. Curve straight down, ending just above the baseline at the right side.

Is cursive C the same in every school?

US Traditional cursive is the connected style most American schools teach. Teachers may use a different model, such as D'Nealian or Zaner-Bloser, so a few letters (the capital G, Q and Z especially) can differ from your school's handbook.

What letter is C confused with?

C is most often confused with E. Put them side by side and check the first stroke: the starting point and the height are what separate them.

Can I print a practice sheet for C?

Yes. Open the worksheet maker, type Cc or a whole word, pick a line size, and print. The sheet has a dark model row, grey tracing rows, dotted rows and blank lines.