Cursive D — Full Tutorial & Free Printable Worksheet

How to Write D in Cursive

Cursive d is an oval letter with a tall right-side stem — close kin to cursive a, and a frequent mix-up with cursive b. If a student already knows how to write a in cursive, they already know the bowl of d. The new skill is climbing the right side all the way toward the top line so the letter reads as d, not as a bumpy a.

This tutorial covers capital D in cursive and lowercase d with stroke animations aligned to our practice data, plus a free printable cursive d worksheet. Capital D begins with a stem-down motion and then adds a right bowl arc. Lowercase d begins with the same downcurve oval as cursive a, then adds the right ascending stem to the top line. Keep that order in mind when you watch the demos: “stem down / right bowl” for the capital and “downcurve oval / right ascending stem” for the lowercase.

Parents search for “d versus b” constantly because both letters pair an oval with a tall stem. The difference is location and sequence. In lowercase d, the oval comes first and the tall stem lives on the right. In b, the tall stem leads on the left. Teaching the word “bed” as a picture — b bulges left, d stands right — gives kids a story they remember longer than a lecture.

Use three-line paper and exaggerate stem height for a week. Many “my d looks like a” problems are simply stems that stop at the middle line. When the stem reliably kisses the top line, how to write d in cursive suddenly looks obvious. Keep a side-by-side d cursive / b sample card until the mix-ups fade.

Cursive Capital D

1. Step 1 — Stem down: Start near the top line on the left side of the letter space. Draw the stem down toward the baseline in a smooth vertical motion. This first stroke is the backbone of capital D; if it leans too far, the bowl that follows will look lopsided.
2. Step 2 — Right bowl arc: From the upper right area, draw the right bowl arc that swings out and around to close the capital against the stem. Keep the arc full, not pointed. Together, stem down plus right bowl make uppercase D in cursive feel sturdy and closed.

Capital D should look closed: the bowl meets the stem family of lines so the counter (the open space inside) stays clean. Practice the stem alone, then add the arc. Speeding through both strokes at once usually collapses the bowl.

Cursive Lowercase d

1. Step 1 — Downcurve oval: Touch the middle line, curve left and down to the baseline, then continue around the same family of oval you use for cursive a — round, closing near the right side at about middle-line height. Do not stretch it tall yet; the oval of lowercase d should match a’s oval size.
2. Step 2 — Right ascending stem: From the right side of the oval, climb the right ascending stem all the way toward the top line, then finish with a small exit to the right so the letter can join the next one. This tall stem is what separates a cursive letter d from a plain a.

Watch the animation: oval first (middle-line downcurve), then the stem climbs — do not park at the middle line. If the stem stops short, d collapses into a with a bump.

Common mistake: Lowercase d is confused with b because both have tall stems — in d the stem is on the right of the oval; in b it is on the left. Beginners also stop the stem at the middle line, which makes d look like a with a bump. Push the stem to the top line.

d vs b: how to tell them apart

Both lowercase d and lowercase b pair an oval with a tall stem that reaches the top line. The difference is where the stem sits and which part you draw first. In cursive d, you form the oval first and the stem rises on the right, carrying the exit that connects forward. In cursive b, the stem comes first on the left, and the oval is added afterward.

A quick memory trick: the word “bed” is spelled b-e-d — the b bulges to the left, the d stands on the right. If students can picture that word, they stop swapping the letters in homework. Practice pairs like “bad / dab” and “big / dig” on the same line so eyes compare stems side by side.

D Words to Practice

• dog — let the d stem stand tall before the exit glides into the o.
• duck — keep the d-to-u join near the middle line after the stem.
• dinosaur — a longer word that tests whether every d stem still reaches the top line.

When those feel steady, generate a custom worksheet with more d-words from spelling lists so practice stays tied to class goals.

Free Printable Cursive D Worksheet

FAQ

How is cursive d different from cursive b?

Both pair an oval with a tall stem, but d draws the oval first with the stem on the right, while b leads with a left stem and adds the oval after. Remember “bed”: b bulges left, d stands right.

Why does lowercase d need a tall stem?

The tall stem is the ascender that distinguishes d from oval letters like a, o, and q. It should reach the top line, just as printed d has a tall ascender.

How do you connect cursive d to the next letter?

After the right stem, finish with a small exit to the right, similar to the exit on cursive a. In “dog,” that flick should glide into the o.

Why does my cursive d look like a cursive a with a bump on top?

The stem is stopping at the middle line. Push it to the top line so the letter reads as d, not as a with an accidental spike.

Where can I get more cursive d practice?

Download the worksheet on this page or create custom generator pages with d-words and names.