Cursive Letter Q Practice

Point out that lowercase q is an a with a long stem. Trace the solid rows, then dashed and dotted ones, and write the blank line last. Ten minutes works. Remind the student that q is almost always followed by u, so practice the pair. Words like quilt, quiet and queen make good follow-up lines. Compare the stems of q and g side by side, since they are easy to mix up.

Lowercase q is a round body followed by a stem that drops below the baseline and loops back, and it joins to u. The risk is mixing it with g, because both have a body and a tail. Common errors are tails that go the wrong way or stop short. Capital Q looks like a big number 2 in many models, which surprises children. It follows P and leads to R, the last of the sequences that need careful turns.

Large lines are a good choice for the first sheet since the tail needs depth. Medium suits confident writers. Small follows when the loop is dependable. Use New version to print another sheet when a row looks messy. Switch Style to Print to compare the print q, a circle with a stick.

How do I tell cursive q from g?

Look at the tail. In q the tail turns right and joins u, while in g it loops left. Say 'q goes right' to help children remember.

Why does capital Q look like a 2?

In many school models the capital begins with a curve and ends with a flat bottom stroke, so it resembles a 2. Trace the solid model slowly to see the path.

Is q always followed by u?

In English words, almost always. Practicing q and u together is smarter than practicing q alone, because the join is where most writing breaks down. In English words, almost always. Practicing q and u together is smarter than practicing q alone, because the join between them is where most writing breaks down.