How to Write N in Cursive

How to write a cursive capital N

The traditional cursive capital N opens with an overcurve from near the baseline, makes two slanted downstrokes joined by one hump at the top line and ends with an undercurve that connects.

Start: Just above the baseline, a little left of the first downstroke.

1. 1From a point just above the baseline, swing up in an overcurve and arch it over to the right where it meets the top line.
2. 2Pull a straight, slanted downstroke from the top of the arch to the baseline.
3. 3Retrace a short way up, then make a second overcurve that arches over at the top line.
4. 4Slant down to the baseline again, parallel to the first downstroke.
5. 5Finish with an undercurve that sweeps up toward the midline to join the next letter.

Connecting: Capital N connects: Na, Ne, Ni and No all flow from its final undercurve. Writers taught older Palmer-style cursive often start N with a small hook or loop at the top left rather than an overcurve from the baseline.

How to write a cursive lowercase n

Lowercase cursive n has two rounded humps in the middle zone: an overcurve, a downstroke, a second overcurve, a second downstroke and an undercurve exit.

Start: On the baseline, picking up from the previous letter. · Letter family: The overcurve group (n, m, v, x, y, z): n is the simplest member and a good warm-up for m and x.

1. 1Roll up from the baseline in an overcurve whose top touches the midline and arches to the right.
2. 2Drop straight down on the slant until you reach the baseline.
3. 3Retrace a little and make a second overcurve to the midline, the same width as the first.
4. 4Slant down to the baseline, then curve into an undercurve exit that rises to the midline.

Connecting: Lowercase n joins on both sides. It enters with an overcurve, so a preceding undercurve has to roll over the top into it, and it exits with the undercurve most letters use.

Joining n to other letters

• onon: o leaves from a bridge at the midline. Let the bridge dip very slightly before rolling into n's first hump; a flat bridge running straight into a downstroke drops a hump and 'on' reads as 'or'.
• inin: The i comes to a point, but the n needs a rounded start. After the i, curve over the top rather than pausing at a point, or the n reads as a u and 'thing' turns into 'thiug'.
• ndnd: n exits with an undercurve that has to rise to the midline and reverse into d's downcurve. Carry the stroke a little past where the oval starts, then curve back left, as in and and window.
• ngng: In -ing endings and words like long, the same reversal happens into g. Close the g's oval at the midline before you drop into the descender loop.

Common mistakes with cursive N

• Pointed tops that turn n into u

  Round the tops and keep the bottoms retraced. Pointed tops with rounded bottoms are exactly what a cursive u looks like.

• Losing the first hump after o, w or b

  After a bridge letter, check that the n still shows two clear humps. Practise on, own and brown slowly until both humps appear without thinking.

• Downstrokes that fan out

  Keep both downstrokes on the same slant. If the second leans further right, the n spreads wide, and in a word like nine the letters start to run together.

• Ending capital N without its connector

  The final undercurve is what joins capital N to the next letter. Stopping flat on the baseline forces a lift and leaves a gap inside names like Nora.

Easily confused with: Lowercase n is confused with u (pointed tops), r (lost hump after a bridge) and m (extra hump). Capital N can look like a capital M that's missing a hump.

Practice words with n

• Nathan
• November
• nine
• noon
• banana
• dinner

Cursive N: questions