Capital I in Cursive: How to Write It
Capital I is not a tall lowercase i. It has a small cap at the top and a base at the bottom, and it is not dotted. Dot it and readers think the word started with a lowercase letter.
I
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
- 1For capital I, start near the headline with a short curve moving right, then left into the stem.
- 2Pull the stem down to the baseline, slightly curved, the full height of the other capitals.
- 3Finish with a small base curve along the baseline, to the right. Do not add a dot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- A single stick with a dot. That is lowercase i stretched too tall.
- No base, so the stem stops abruptly and looks unfinished next to J.
- A huge top loop that reaches into the line above. The cap is small.
Practice words
It · Is · Iris · India · I
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Frequently asked questions
Does cursive capital I get a dot?
No. The dot belongs to lowercase i and to j. Capital I is identified by the top and bottom curves. Adding a dot creates a double letter.
Does capital I connect?
The base can lead slightly into the next letter in some hands, but a full join is optional. Keep the stem vertical enough to read before you worry about the join.
How is capital I different from capital J?
J continues below the baseline and usually hooks left. I stops on the baseline with a small foot. If you crossed the line, you started a J.
Voice to Handwriting · voicetohandwriting.online