1 in Cursive: How to Write It
One is the plainest numeral in cursive and, for exactly that reason, an easy one to get wrong. There is no base serif in this style: a small entry tick at the top, one slanted downstroke, stop. With so little on the page, slant and height do all the work.
1
The numerals on this page are rendered in Cedarville Cursive, an open-source font — school styles and other handwriting fonts differ in details. The steps describe the usual way to draw each digit, not a mandated stroke order; without start-dot data for numerals, let the sample show you the target shape.
Write it step by step
- 1Start just under the headline with a small entry tick to the right.
- 2Pull one slanted downstroke to the baseline.
- 3Stop. No foot, no base bar, no tail.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Adding the base bar from print handwriting. In this cursive style a 1 with a foot reads as a capital I with a serif.
- Making the stroke perfectly vertical. Let it lean with the rest of the number.
- Curving or hooking the end of the stroke. The 1 ends where the baseline says so.
Practice numbers
1 · 11 · 17 · 21 · 100
Turn this number into a practice sheet
Opens a cursive tracing sheet with this lesson's numbers filled in. Download the PDF and print it. Digits don't get the green start dots — those exist for letters only.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the cursive 1 look like a plain line?
Because it is one. Cursive simplifies numerals the way it simplifies capitals — the flag some print styles add is dropped, and the slant carries the style. In this font there is no base serif either.
Will a cursive 1 be confused with a capital I?
Rarely on a practice sheet, because context carries it. If it matters — forms, grades — the base bar from print is the standard fix. Just don't mix both styles in the same number.
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