How to write a cursive E
The e has the smallest loop of any letter and is the one most often made too big, turning it into an l. Its loop should sit entirely within the middle zone.
Drawing the capital
Start at the baseline, loop up and around counterclockwise to form a small loop, then exit right at the baseline.
Drawing the lower case
A small loop that stays inside the middle space, ending with a short exit stroke at the baseline.
The join after E
e joins from its exit stroke; doubles like 'ee' and 'ee' in 'see' are very common.
Where it goes wrong
Making the loop too big so it looks like l, or not closing the loop so it looks like a c.
Setting up practice for E
Three things decide whether practice works: the surface, the tools and the length. A flat table, a pencil with a visible point and lined paper with a midline — that is the whole setup. Sessions of ten minutes beat sessions of thirty; a child who practices tired learns a tired version of the letter, and unlearning it costs more than the extra minutes gained. For the E specifically, print two copies of the worksheet: one for the first attempt, one for the comparison at the end of the week.
The adult version of E
Adult cursive drifts away from the school model: the curve gets faster and the letter flattens. That is normal — handwriting is a tool, not a museum piece. But when an adult wants to improve legibility, the fix is always the same: go back to the school letterform for a week, then let speed return on its own. The letter below the drift is still the letter; E does not change its identity at speed.
Where E sits in the three zones
Cursive measures every letter against three horizontal lines: the top line, the midline and the baseline. E occupies the middle zone only. Keeping that height consistent is what makes a page of handwriting look even — a letter that drifts up or down is the first thing a teacher notices, before any question of style.
Words to practice
be me we see tree
These words appear on the printable E worksheet (PDF, 1 page), which also carries trace models for both cases and blank practice lines.
What a correct E looks like
- Height: stays inside the middle zone, like o and n.
- Start and exit: begins at the baseline, ends ready to join the next letter.
- Proportion: the loops and curves stay even across a line — uneven Es are the first sign of rushed practice.
Download the E worksheet (PDF) All 26 letters
New to cursive? Start with the beginner guide.