How to Write G, K, A and N in Cursive

Cursive a and n look simple, and cursive g and k look fancy, but all four cause the same trouble for beginners: the shapes are easy to recognize and surprisingly easy to get slightly wrong. An a that does not close turns into a u. A g without a proper lower loop looks like a y. A k with the wrong middle becomes an h, and an n with uneven humps reads as a u or an r.

This guide shows how to write cursive g, k, a and n, lowercase and capital, with the stroke path in plain steps and the one mistake to watch for in each. If you are still learning the basics, start with the full guide to writing in cursive or the cursive alphabet chart, then come back here. If you want the trickier f, s, z and j, they have their own page: how to write F, S, Z and J in cursive. For b, l, m and t, see how to write B, L, M and T in cursive, and for h, e, p and d see how to write H, E, P and D in cursive.

What These Four Letters Have in Common

These four letters come from three of the main shape families in cursive, and knowing the family makes each letter easier to remember.

A and g are both oval letters. They start with the same small oval, and the only difference is what happens after it closes: a finishes at the baseline, while g drops into a loop below the line. The same oval is the start of d and q, so learning a well pays off four times.

K is a loop letter, in the same family as l, h and b. Like those letters, it starts with a tall loop, and it adds a small extra shape in the middle.

N is a hump letter, in the same family as m, with h and p borrowing its first stroke. Two humps for n, three for m, and the stroke that makes them is the same.

That means four letters in this guide really come down to three stroke patterns: an oval, a tall loop and a hump. If you have already worked through the other guides on this site, you have met every one of them.

Before You Start: Lines, Slant and the Exit Stroke

Cursive paper has a baseline, a midline above it and a top line above that. Lowercase a, g and n sit between the baseline and the midline, and g also drops below the baseline. Lowercase k reaches the top line.

Keep one slant throughout. Most modern cursive models lean the letters about 15 to 20 degrees to the right. Draw light slanted lines across your page so the downstrokes of n, k and g have something to follow.

Every lowercase letter in this guide finishes with a small upward exit stroke at the baseline. That exit is what carries the pen into the next letter, so write it even when you practice a letter alone.

How to Write Lowercase A in Cursive

Lowercase cursive a is an oval with a short stem on its right side. It is the most common vowel in English, so it is worth getting right first.

Step one: Start just below the midline, at about the one o’clock position of the oval you are about to draw.
Step two: Curve up and to the left, around the oval and back to where you started, so the shape closes.
Step three: Without lifting the pen, go straight down the right side of the oval to the baseline, retracing the right edge.
Step four: Finish with a small upward exit stroke to the right.

The oval should be closed and the stem should touch it. If there is a gap at the top, the letter reads as a u. If the stem leans away from the oval, it reads as an o followed by a separate stroke.

Keep the a the same height as an n or an e. If it grows taller, it starts to look like a d.

The most common problem is an oval that is too narrow. Give it a round, slightly wide shape, since a squeezed oval makes every word that uses it harder to read.

How to Write Lowercase G in Cursive

Lowercase g starts exactly like a and then continues below the line. It is the letter learners most often mistake for y, because both have a tail.

Step one: Draw the oval of an a, starting at one o’clock and curving counterclockwise until it closes.
Step two: From the right side of the oval, go straight down through the baseline, dropping below the line about as far as a tall letter rises above it.
Step three: Curve to the left at the bottom and bring the stroke back up, crossing the downstroke at the baseline to make the lower loop.
Step four: Finish with an upward exit stroke to the right.

The oval is the part that tells g from y. A y has a u-shaped top, and a g has a closed oval. If your g looks like a y, check that the oval actually closes.

Some handwriting models end the tail with a hook instead of a full loop, bringing the stroke back up without crossing it. Both are accepted, as long as you stay consistent.

The most common problem is a lower loop that is too small and tight. Give it the same width as the oval above it.

How to Write Lowercase K in Cursive

Lowercase k is the most complicated of the four, because it has a tall stem and a small shape in the middle. Several forms are taught, so the version below is the most widely used one.

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 back down along the stem to the baseline, keeping the downstroke straight and on the page slant.
Step three: At the midline, make a small loop that sticks out to the right of the stem, and join it back to the stem.
Step four: From the loop, draw a short diagonal leg down to the baseline and finish with an upward exit stroke.

The middle of the k is what separates it from an h. An h has a hump on the right of the stem, and a k has a small loop and a leg. If your k keeps turning into an h, the loop is probably too large or too round.

Some models write k in two strokes, like a printed k with a stem and then an arm and a leg. That is fine for reading, but it breaks the connected flow, which is why the one-stroke version is usually taught first.

The most common problem is a top loop that is too short. It should reach the same height as an l.

How to Write Lowercase N in Cursive

Lowercase n is two humps joined by a downstroke. Learn it well, since m, h and p all borrow its shape.

Step one: Start at the baseline with a short upstroke, rising to the midline.
Step two: Curve over to make the first hump and come straight down to the baseline.
Step three: Retrace up the same stroke to the midline, curve over again to make the second hump, and come down to the baseline.
Step four: Finish with an upward exit stroke to the right.

The two humps should be the same height and the same width, and the two downstrokes should be parallel. Practice joining n to a letter that follows, since the exit stroke is the part of n that shows up most in real words.

Some writers round the humps, and some make them slightly pointed. Both are correct, as long as every n on the page uses the same style.

The most common problem is uneven humps, with the second one narrower or lower than the first. This turns an n into an r or a u. Draw two light horizontal guide marks at the midline to check the heights.

Capital G, K, A and N 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 A: Most models write it as a large, round version of the lowercase a, with an oval and a right-hand stem, rather than a pointed print A. Some models start with a small curl at the top and finish with a short bar.
Capital G: Starts with a curve like a capital C, sweeping around to the left and down, and then finishes with a small inward hook or loop at the base. Many models add a short horizontal bar or a looped tail.
Capital K: Starts with a tall stem and then adds an arm and a leg that meet in a small loop or point near the middle. It looks more like a printed K than the lowercase k does.
Capital N: Starts with an upstroke or a small curl at the top left, comes straight down, rises along a diagonal and then drops down the right side. It looks like a larger version of the lowercase n with a taller first stroke.

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 slant and size 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 most of the common patterns.

A ends with a small upward exit from the baseline, so it joins into almost anything. It joins most smoothly into n, m, t and r.
G ends with an upward exit from the base of its loop, and the next letter starts from the baseline, not from the bottom of the tail. This is the most common source of messy words with g in them.
K ends with its leg and an upward exit. The next letter starts from the baseline, and the tall stem means that words like “like” and “take” have a big height change in the middle.
N ends with an upward exit from its second hump. It joins well into vowels, and a to n or i to n are two of the smoothest joins in the alphabet.

Letters that finish at the top, such as o, v, w and b, send a high exit across, so a following a, g or n 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:

G: go, big, bag, gum, green, magic, giving, grand
K: key, kind, kid, like, take, make, skin, keep
A: an, at, am, and, apple, banana, actual, again
N: no, on, in, name, nine, nice, noon, banana

Write each word slowly, ten times, and check that the a and g ovals are closed and that the n humps are the same height. For more word lists sorted by what they train, see our page of words to write in cursive.

Common Mistakes

Leaving the oval of the a open. A gap at the top makes the letter read as a u. Close the oval before you drop down the stem.
Drawing the g like a y. A g has a closed oval at the top, and a y has a u shape. Check that the oval closes.
Making the k loop too big. A large loop in the middle turns k into h. Keep the small loop close to the stem.
Making the second hump of the n smaller than the first. Uneven humps turn n into r or u.
Starting the letter after g from the descender. The next letter starts from the baseline, where the loop crosses the line.
Leaving out the exit stroke. Without a small upward exit, the letter does not connect to the next one.

A Short Practice Routine

Draw four light slanted 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 a, then a line of n. Focus on closing the oval and keeping the humps even.
Day three and four: Write a line of g and a line of k. Check that the g oval closes and that the k loop stays small.
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 “Kind agents knit green gloves.”

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

See G, K, A and N 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 “kingdom” or “again” and look at how the g, k, a and n 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 g?

Draw the oval of an a, then drop straight down through the baseline into a lower loop, curve back up to cross the stem at the baseline and finish with an upward exit. A good g has a closed oval on top and a loop below that is about as wide as the oval.

How do you write a lowercase cursive a?

Start just below the midline, curve up and around to close a round oval, then go straight down the right side to the baseline and add a small upward exit. The oval must be closed, or the letter looks like a u.

How do you write a cursive k?

Write a tall loop up to the top line like an l, come down the stem to the baseline, add a small loop at the midline on the right of the stem, then draw a short leg to the baseline and finish with an upward exit.

How do you write a cursive n?

Make a short upstroke, curve over to the first hump and come down to the baseline. Retrace up, make a second hump of the same height and finish with an upward exit. The two downstrokes should be parallel.

What is the difference between a cursive g and a cursive y?

A g starts with a closed oval, and a y starts with a u shape. Both have a tail below the line, so the top part is what tells them apart.

Is a capital A in cursive the same as lowercase?

Not exactly. Many models write the capital A as a larger, rounder version of the lowercase a, but it is usually written on its own without joining to the next letter. A few models use a pointed print A shape instead.

Why does my cursive k look like an h?

Usually because the middle loop is too large and round. A k has a small loop and a leg, and an h has a full hump. Keep the loop small and close to the stem.

Which cursive letters should I learn first?

Start with the oval letters, a and g, along with c, d and o, since they share one shape. Then learn the humps, n and m, and the tall loops, l, h, b and k. These cover most of the alphabet.

Conclusion

G, K, A and N look different, but they are built from three shapes you can practice together: the oval, the tall loop and the hump. Close the oval of the a and g, keep the k loop small, keep the n humps even, and always finish with a clean exit stroke. 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 G, K, A and N in Cursive (Lowercase and Capital)