How to Write H, E, P and D in Cursive

H, e, p and d turn up in almost every sentence you write, which makes them the letters where a bad habit gets repeated the most. An h with a weak hump looks like a b. An e that is closed up into a blob reads as an o. A p with a short tail looks like a stray hook, and a d with a short stem looks like an a. This guide shows how to write cursive h, e, p and d, lowercase and capital, with the stroke path in plain steps and the mistake to watch for in each. If you are still learning the basic shapes, start with the full guide to writing in cursive or the cursive alphabet chart. The other letter guides are here too: how to write B, L, M and T in cursive, how to write G, K, A and N in cursive and how to write F, S, Z and J in cursive.

Four Different Jobs in One Word

These four letters belong to four different groups, and that is what makes them a good set to practice together.

H is a tall-loop letter with a hump. It starts like an l and finishes like the second half of an n, so it combines the two skills.

E is a loop letter at lowercase height. It is a small, narrow, slanted loop and it is the most common letter in English, so it is worth getting right early.

P is a descender letter. It drops below the baseline, in the same group as g, j, y and f, though it does it with a straight stem rather than a loop.

D is an oval letter with a tall stem. It begins with the same oval as a and g, and then rises to the top line.

You will meet all four in simple words like “the,” “had,” “pad” and “deep,” so practicing them together also trains the joins between them.

The Lines and the Slant

Cursive paper has a baseline, a midline above it and a top line above that, and descenders drop below the baseline. Lowercase e sits between the baseline and the midline. H and d rise to the top line. P drops below the baseline to roughly the same depth that d rises above it.

Keep one slant throughout, usually 15 to 20 degrees to the right. Light slanted guide lines help most with the long straight strokes of h, p and d, since a stem that wobbles off the slant is the first thing the eye notices.

Every lowercase letter in this guide finishes with a small upward exit stroke at the baseline. Write it even when you practice a letter on its own, because that exit is what makes the next letter join.

How to Write Lowercase H in Cursive

Lowercase h is a tall loop followed by a hump. If you can write an l and an n, you already know every stroke in it.

Step one: Start at the baseline and swing up into a tall loop, rising to the top line, exactly as you would for an l.
Step two: Come straight down along the slant to the baseline.
Step three: Retrace up the stem to the midline without lifting the pen.
Step four: Curve over to the right to make a hump, the same as the second hump of an n, and come down to the baseline.
Step five: Finish with a small upward exit stroke to the right.

The hump is the part to watch. It should sit between the baseline and the midline, with a clear gap between it and the stem. If the hump is too small, the letter turns into an l with a bump, and if it rises too high, it looks like a b.

Some handwriting models close the loop at the baseline with a small crossing, and some leave the bottom open. Both are accepted, as long as every h on the page matches.

The most common problem is a stem that leans off the slant, which makes the letter look unsteady. A slanted guide line fixes it quickly.

How to Write Lowercase E in Cursive

Lowercase cursive e is nothing like a printed e. It is a small, narrow loop on a slant, and it is made in one smooth movement.

Step one: Start at the baseline and swing up and to the right toward the midline.
Step two: Curve over to the left, forming a small loop at the top that comes back down toward the baseline.
Step three: Sweep back out to the right along the baseline and finish with a small exit stroke.

The loop should be narrow and open at the top, like a thin teardrop leaning to the right. A loop that is too round looks like an o, and a loop that is closed tight looks like an ink blot, especially in small handwriting.

Keep the e the same height as a, n and u. Because e is so common, even a small height mistake repeats across the page. If your e looks different each time, write a line of nothing but e and compare them.

Some writers prefer a slightly open loop and others close it fully. Pick one and stay with it.

The most common problem is an e that is filled in. Leave a visible opening in the loop, even in a quick hand.

How to Write Lowercase P in Cursive

Lowercase p has a straight tail below the line, a small bowl on the right, and a pointed start. Several forms are taught, and the version below is the most widely used.

Step one: Start at the baseline with a short upstroke to the midline.
Step two: Come straight down in a slanted stroke that passes the baseline and keeps going below it, as far as a tall letter rises above the line.
Step three: Without lifting the pen, retrace up the stem to the midline.
Step four: Curve over to the right and around into a small bowl that closes back on the stem at the baseline.
Step five: Finish with a small upward exit stroke to the right.

Notice that p reuses the same hump shape as n, but with a tail added. That is why it helps to learn n first. The bowl should be round, with a clear connection to the stem.

Some models write the top with a small point, some with a gentle curve. Both are fine, as long as the stem is straight and clearly extends below the line.

The most common problem is a stem that is too short, so the p does not look like it goes below the line at all. Give it as much depth as a g.

How to Write Lowercase D in Cursive

Lowercase d is an oval with a tall stem, and it is one of the most frequent letters in English. It begins exactly like an a, and the only extra step is the stem.

Step one: Draw the oval of an a, starting at about the one o’clock position and curving counterclockwise until it closes.
Step two: Instead of stopping at the midline, continue up along the right side of the oval, rising all the way to the top line.
Step three: Come back down the same stem, retracing it to the baseline.
Step four: Finish with a small upward exit stroke to the right.

The stem is what makes d a d. If it only reaches the midline, the letter looks like an a, and if it leans away from the oval, it looks like a c followed by an l.

The oval must close. A gap between the oval and the stem is the most common cause of a d that reads as cl.

Some models end the stem with a small loop at the top, and some use a straight stem. Both are accepted.

The most common problem is a stem that is too short. Draw a light guide line at the top line and aim for it every time.

Capital H, E, P and D in Cursive

Capital cursive letters differ much more from one handwriting model to another than lowercase letters do. The shapes below are the ones most often taught, and any of them is correct as long as the letter reads clearly. Our guide to capital cursive letters covers every capital in detail, and the dedicated pages on how to write cursive R and how to write cursive I follow the same approach.

Capital H: Starts with a curved stroke and a long stem, then adds a second stem to the right and joins the two with a crossbar, which is often a small loop. It looks like a print H with curves and a flourish.
Capital E: Most models write it as two stacked curves, the smaller one on top, with a loop in the middle where they meet. It looks like a mirrored number 3 with a small loop at its waist.
Capital P: Starts with a curl at the top, drops a long stem to the baseline, then returns up the stem and adds a large bowl at the top right that closes back on the stem.
Capital D: Starts with a curl at the top, drops a long stem, then adds a big bowl to the right that sweeps around and returns to the baseline, often finishing with a small flourish.

Capital letters are usually written on their own and do not join to the letter after them, though a small gap is enough. They also stand out more, so size and slant matter more than they do with lowercase letters.

How These Letters Join to Others

Each letter has an exit stroke, and the next letter picks up from there. These four show the most common patterns.

H ends with an upward exit from its hump, so it joins smoothly into vowels. The join from h into e, in words like “he,” “the” and “when,” is one of the most frequent in English.
E ends with an exit from the bottom of its loop. It joins into almost any letter, and because e is so common, the exit is worth making clean and low.
P ends with an upward exit from the baseline, and the next letter starts there, not from the bottom of the tail. This matters in words like “paper” and “happy.”
D ends with an exit from the foot of its stem. The join from d into o, e or i is among the first ones learners practice, and in words like “did” and “deed” the stem heights have to match.

Letters that finish at the top, such as o, v, w and b, send a high exit across, so a following h, e, p or d has to start from that higher point. For the general rules about how any two letters connect, see the guide to cursive words and connecting letters.

Words to Practice These Letters

Practice each letter alone first, then move to words once the shape feels steady. Good words to start with:

H: he, hi, hat, home, happy, honey, ahead, hundred
E: eve, end, egg, even, every, eagle, better, evening
P: pen, pop, pie, pink, paper, puppy, please, apple
D: do, dad, dog, door, day, daddy, dinner, wonderful

Write each word slowly, ten times, and check that the h and d stems reach the same height and the p tail goes well below the line. For more word lists sorted by what they train, see our page of words to write in cursive.

Common Mistakes

Making the h hump too small. A tiny hump turns h into l. Give it room between the stem and the hump.
Closing the e into a blob. Leave an opening in the loop, even in a quick hand.
Giving the p a short tail. The stem should go below the line by about the same distance a tall letter rises above it.
Leaving the d oval open. A gap between the oval and the stem makes the letter read as cl.
Making the d stem too short. It should reach the top line, like an l.
Letting stems drift off the slant. Draw light slanted guide lines and follow them.

A Short Practice Routine

Draw slanted guide lines on a sheet of ruled paper. Then spend a week of short sessions like this.

Day one and two: Write a full line of lowercase h, then a line of e. Focus on the hump and the narrow loop.
Day three and four: Write a line of p and a line of d. Check the depth of the p tail and the height of the d stem.
Day five: Write the capital versions, one line each, with a small gap before the next letter.
Day six and seven: Move to words from the lists above, then write one short sentence using all four letters, such as “Happy puppies dash down every path.”

Keep each session to ten or fifteen minutes. Handwriting improves through repetition spread across several days, not through one long session.

See H, E, P and D in Cursive First

Writing by hand is the goal, but it often helps to see a letter in context before you try it. Cursive Generator converts anything you type into cursive-style text and previews it across several script fonts, so you can type a word like “happy” or “deep” and look at how the h, e, p and d connect before writing it on paper. It is a visual reference, not a replacement for practice, and it works well alongside the guide above.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you write a cursive h?

Start at the baseline, swing up into a tall loop to the top line, come straight down to the baseline, retrace up to the midline and curve over into a hump, then come down and add a small exit. The hump should be clear and sit between the baseline and the midline.

How do you write a lowercase cursive e?

Start at the baseline, swing up toward the midline, curve over to the left to form a small narrow loop, then sweep back to the right along the baseline with a small exit. The loop should stay open and narrow, not round.

How do you write a cursive p?

Make a short upstroke to the midline, come straight down below the baseline, retrace up the stem to the midline, curve over into a small bowl that closes at the baseline, and finish with an upward exit.

How do you write a cursive d?

Draw the oval of an a, then continue up the right side to the top line, come back down the stem to the baseline and add a small exit. The oval must close and the stem must reach the top line.

Why does my cursive h look like a b?

Usually because the hump is too tall or too far from the stem. Keep the hump between the baseline and the midline, as the second hump of an n would be.

Why does my cursive e look like an o?

Because the loop is too round or closed. A cursive e is a narrow, slanted loop that stays open at the top, and it finishes with an exit to the right.

Does the cursive p go below the line?

Yes. The stem of a lowercase cursive p passes the baseline and drops below it, about as far as a d rises above the line.

Is a capital D in cursive the same as lowercase?

No. The capital D has a curl and a long stem with a large bowl on the right, and the lowercase d is an oval with a tall stem. The capital is usually written on its own without joining to the next letter.

Conclusion

H, e, p and d look different, but they are built from strokes you already know: the tall loop, the hump, the narrow loop, the straight tail and the oval. Give the h a clear hump, keep the e loop narrow and open, send the p tail below the line, and close the oval of the d before raising its stem. A week of ten-minute sessions is enough to make all four feel natural. To preview how any word looks across real script fonts before writing it by hand, try Cursive Generator.

How to Write H, E, P and D in Cursive (Lowercase and Capital)