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Paragraph Worksheets 2024

Handwriting is much more than a means of communication. It's a part of our personality; you can always tell whether something was written by you or someone else. The flourishes or how we write a letter can reveal a lot about our personalities. When we're in a hurry, our daily handwriting can go from super neat to chicken scrawl. 

Everything from the pen or paper used to achieve such elegance to tips on how to improve handwriting skills. Slow down, aim for consistency in your letter forms, and practice are thought to be three important tips for handwriting. Slowing down makes you more mindful of putting pen to paper, so you pay more attention to letter form consistency. There is also no substitute for practice, whether it is as formal as handwritten drills or as simple as making a daily to-do list.

If you want a structured way to improve your handwriting, we offer several handwriting paragraph practice worksheets for you to practice, even short sentences or paragraphs! There are a lot of handwriting worksheets focused on writing — you can download them or print them out. Basically, these handwriting paragraph practice sheets take you through drills, capital and lowercase letters, words, and sentences.

On WorksheetZone, we have millions of free printable worksheets ready for you to use. Let's get started!

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The Write Practice

100 Writing Practice Lessons & Exercises

by Joe Bunting | 50 comments

Want to become a better writer? Perhaps you want to write novels, or maybe you just want to get better grades in your essay writing assignments , or maybe you'd like to start a popular blog .

If you want to write better, you need practice. But what does a writing practice actually look like? In this post, I'm going to give you everything you need to kick off your writing practice and become a better writer faster.

100 Top Writing Practice Lessons and Exercises

What Is Writing Practice?

Writing practice is a method of becoming a better writer that usually involves reading lessons about the writing process, using writing prompts, doing creative writing exercises , or finishing writing pieces, like essays, short stories , novels , or books . The best writing practice is deliberate, timed, and involves feedback.

How Do You Practice Writing?

This was the question I had when I first started The Write Practice in 2011. I knew how to practice a sport and how to practice playing an instrument. But for some reason, even after studying it in college, I wasn't sure how to practice writing.

I set out to create the best writing practice I could. The Write Practice is the result.

I found that the best writing practice has three aspects:

Deliberate . Writing whatever you feel like may be cathartic, but it's not an effective way to become a better writer or build your writing skills. You'll get better faster by practicing a specific technique or aspect of the writing process each time you sit down to write.

This is why we have a new lesson about the writing process each day on The Write Practice, followed by a practice prompt at the end so you can put what you learned to use immediately.

Timed . It's no secret writers struggle with focus. There are just too many interesting distractions—Facebook, email, Kim Kardashian's Instagram feed (just kidding about that last one, sort of)—and writing is just too hard sometimes.

Setting a timer, even for just fifteen minutes, is an easy and effective way to stay focused on what's important.

This is why in our writing practice prompt at the end of each post we have a time limit, usually with a link to an online tool egg timer , so you can focus on deliberate practice without getting distracted.

Feedback . Getting feedback is one of the requirements to deliberately practice writing or any other craft. Feedback can look like listening to the reactions of your readers or asking for constructive criticism from editors and other writers.

This is why we ask you to post your writing practice after each lesson, so that you can get feedback from other writers in The Write Practice community. It's also why we set up The Write Practice Pro community , to provide critique groups for writers to get feedback on each finished piece of writing.

How to practice writing

Our 100+ Best Creative Writing Practice Exercises and Lessons

Now that you know how we practice writing at The Write Practice, here are our best writing practice lessons to jumpstart your writing skills with some daily writing exercises, for beginner writers to even the most expert writers:

All-Time, Top 10 Writing Lessons and Exercises

These ten posts are our most viewed articles to boost your writing practice:

1. What is Plot? The 6 Elements of Plot and How to Use Them . Great stories use similar elements in wildly different ways to build page-turning stories. Click here to read what they are and learn how to start using them !

2. Top 100 Short Story Ideas . Here are over a hundred writing prompts in a variety of genres. If you need ideas for your next story, check this out!

3. How To Use Neither, Nor, Or, and Nor Correctly . Even good writers struggle figuring out when to use neither/nor and either/or. In this post, our copy-queen Liz Bureman settles the confusion once and for all. Click to continue to the writing exercise

4. Ten Secrets To Write Better Stories . How does Pixar manage to create such great stories, year after year? And how do you write a good story? In this post, I distill everything I've learned about how to write a good story into ten tips. Click to continue to the writing exercise

5. 35 Questions To Ask Your Characters From Marcel Proust . To get to know my characters better, I use a list of questions known as the Proust Questionnaire, made famous by French author, Marcel Proust. Click to continue to the writing exercise

6. How a Scene List Can Change Your Novel-Writing Life . Creating a scene list changed my novel-writing life, and doing the same will change yours too. Includes examples of the scene lists from famous authors. Click to continue to the writing exercise

7. Why You Need to be Using the Oxford Comma . Most people I've met have no idea what the Oxford comma is, but it's probably something that you have used frequently in your writing. Click to continue to the writing exercise

8. Six Surprising Ways to Write Better Interview Questions.  The interview is the most-used tool in a journalist's bag. But that doesn't mean novelists, bloggers, and even students can't and don't interview people. Here's how to conduct a great interview. Click to continue to the writing exercise

9. Why You Should Try Writing in Second Person . You've probably used first person and third person point-of-view already. But what about second person? This post explains three reasons why you should try writing from this point-of-view. Click to continue to the writing exercise

10. The Secret to Show, Don't Tell . You've heard the classic writing rule, “Show. Don't Tell.” Every writing blog ever has talked about it, and for good reason. Showing, for some reason, is really difficult. Click to continue to the writing exercise.

Book Idea Worksheet

12 Exercises and Lessons To Become a Better Writer

How do you become a better writer? These posts share our best advice:

  • Want to Be a Better Writer? Cut These 7 Words
  • What I Mean When I Say I Am A Writer
  • How to Become a Writer: 3 Simple Steps
  • 72% of Writers Struggle With THIS
  • 7 Lies About Becoming a Writer That You Probably Believe
  • 10 Questions to Find Your Unique Writing Voice
  • The Best Writing Book I’ve Ever Read
  • The Best Way to Become a Better Writer
  • The Creative Writer’s Toolkit: 6 Tools You Can’t Write Without
  • Should You Write More or Write Better: Quantity vs Quality
  • How to Become a Better Writer in One, Simple Step
  • 11 Writing Tips That Will Change Your Life

6 Lessons and Exercises from Great Writers

If you want to be a writer, learn from the great writers who have gone before you:

  • 23 Essential Quotes from Ernest Hemingway About Writing
  • 29 Quotes that Explain How to Become a Better Writer
  • 10 Lessons Dr. Seuss Can Teach Writers
  • 10 Writing Tips from Ursula Le Guin
  • Once Upon a Time: Pixar Prompt
  • All the Pretty Words: Writing In the Style of Cormac McCarthy

12 Genre and Format Specific Writing Lessons and Exercises

Here are our best writing lessons for specific types of writing, including essays, screenplays, memoir, short stories, children's books, and humor writing:

  • Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips
  • How To Write a Screenplay: The 5 Step Process
  • How to Write a Great Memoir: a Complete Guide
  • How to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish
  • How to Write a Thriller Novel
  • How to Write a Children's Book
  • How to Write a Love Story
  • How to Write a Coming of Age Story or Book
  • How to Write an Adventure Book
  • 5 Key Elements for Successful Short Stories
  • 4 Tips to Write a Novel That Will Be Adapted Into a Movie
  • Humor Writing for People Who Aren’t Funny

14 Characterization Lessons and Exercises

Good characters are the foundation of good fiction. Here are our best lessons to create better characters:

  • Character Development: How to Create Characters Audiences Will Love
  • Writing Villains: 9 Evil Examples of the Villain Archetype
  • How NOT to Introduce a New Character
  • The Strongest Form of Characterization
  • The Most Important Character Archetype
  • How Do You Build A Strong Character In Your Writing?
  • 75+ Antihero Examples and How to Use Them
  • How to Explore Your Characters’ Motivations
  • 8 Tips for Naming Characters
  • The Protagonist: How to Center Your Story
  • Heroes vs. Anti-Heroes: Which Is Right For Your Story?
  • The Weakest Form of Characterization
  • How to Write With an Accent
  • How To Create a Character Sketch Using Scrivener

15 Grammar Lessons and Exercises

I talk to so many writers, some of whom are published authors, who struggle with grammar. Here are our best writing lessons on grammar:

  • Is It Okay To End A Sentence With A Preposition?
  • Contractions List: When To Use and When To Avoid
  • Good vs. Well
  • Connotation vs. Denotation
  • Per Se vs. Per Say
  • When You SHOULD Use Passive Voice
  • When Do You Use “Quotation Marks”
  • Polysyndeton and Asyndeton: Definition and Examples
  • The Case Against Twilight
  • Affect Versus Effect
  • Stop Saying “Literally”
  • What Is a Comma Splice? And Why Do Editors Hate Them?
  • Intra vs. Inter: Why No One Plays Intermural Sports
  • Alright and Alot: Words That Are Not Words
  • The Poor, Misunderstood Semicolon

4 Journalism Lessons and Exercises

Want to be a journalist? Or even use techniques from journalism to improve your novel, essay, or screenplay? Here are our best writing lessons on journalism:

  • Six Ways to Ask Better Questions In Interviews
  • How Should You Interview Someone? Over Email? In Person?
  • What If They Don’t Want to Talk to You?
  • Eleven Habits of a Highly Effective Interviewers

16 Plot and Structure Lessons and Exercises

Want to write a good story? Our top plot and structure lessons will help:

  • The Ten Types of Story and How to Master Them
  • Points of a Story: 6 Plot Points Every Story Needs
  • How to Shape a Story: The 6 Arcs
  • 7 Keys To Write the Perfect First Line of a Novel
  • The Secret to Creating Conflict
  • 4 Tips to Avoid Having Your Short Story Rejected by a Literary Magazine
  • 7 Steps to Creating Suspense
  • 5 Elements of Storytelling
  • 3 Important Rules for Writing Endings
  • A Writer’s Cheatsheet to Plot and Structure
  • Overcoming the Monster
  • How to Satisfy Your Reader With a Great Ending
  • Pow! Boom! Ka-Pow! 5 Tips to Write Fight Scenes
  • The Dramatic Question and Suspense in Fiction
  • How to Write a Memorable Beginning and Ending
  • How to Write the Perfect First Page

6 Lessons and Exercises to Beat Writer's Block

Writer's block is real, and it can completely derail your writing. Here are six lessons to get writing again:

  • How To Write Whether You Feel Like it Or Not
  • This Fun Creative Writing Exercise Will Change Your Life
  • When You Should Be Writing But Can't…
  • What to do When Your Word Count is Too Low
  • 7 Tricks to Write More with Less Willpower
  • When You Don’t Know What to Write, Write About Your Insecurities

7 Literary Technique Lessons and Exercises

These writing and storytelling techniques will teach you a few tricks of the trade you may not have discovered before:

  • 3 Tips to “Show, Don’t Tell” Emotions and Moods
  • 3 Reasons to Write Stream of Consciousness Narrative
  • 16 Observations About Real Dialogue
  • Intertextuality As A Literary Device
  • Why You Should Use Symbolism In Your Writing
  • 6 Ways to Evoke Emotion in Poetry and Prose
  • 3 Tips To Write Modern Allegorical Novels
  • Symbol vs. Motif: What’s the Difference

3 Inspirational Writing Lessons and Exercises

Need some inspiration? Here are three of our most inspiring posts:

  • Why We Write: Four Reasons
  • You Must Remember Every Scar
  • 17 Reasons to Write Something NOW

3 Publishing Blogging Lessons and Exercises

If you want to get published, these three lessons will help:

  • The Secret to Writing On Your Blog Every Day
  • How to Publish Your Book and Sell Your First 1,000 Copies
  • How to Get Published in Literary Magazines

11 Writing Prompts

Need inspiration or just a kick in the pants to write. Try one of our top writing prompts :

  • Grandfathers [writing prompt]
  • Out of Place [writing prompt]
  • Sleepless [writing prompt]
  • Longing [writing prompt]
  • Write About Yourself [writing prompt]
  • 3 Reasons You Should Write Ghost Stories
  • Road Trip [writing prompt]
  • Morning [writing prompt]
  • The Beach [writing prompt]
  • Fall [writing prompt]
  • How to Use Six-Word Stories As Writing Prompts

Is It Time To Begin Your Writing Practice?

It's clear that if you want to become a writer, you need to practice writing. We've created a proven process to practice your writing at The Write Practice, but even if you don't join our community, I hope you'll start practicing in some way today.

Personally, I waited  far  too long to start practicing and it set my writing back years.

How about you? Do you think practicing writing is important?  Let me know in the comments section .

Choose one of the writing practice posts above. Then, read the lesson and participate in the writing exercise, posting your work in the Pro Practice Workshop . And if you post, please give feedback to your fellow writers who also posted their practices.

Have fun and happy practicing!

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Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

How to Write a Memoir: How to Start (and Actually Finish) Your First Draft

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

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Easy Ways to Get Good Handwriting

Last Updated: January 9, 2024 Fact Checked

Analyzing Your Handwriting

Changing your handwriting.

This article was co-authored by Courtney Copriviza and by wikiHow staff writer, Devin McSween . Courtney Copriviza is an Elementary School Teacher based in Maui, HI. Courtney specializes in elementary education, classroom management, and social and emotional development. She holds a BA in Communication with a minor in Urban Education and an MA in Teaching from Santa Clara University. Courtney has also taught high school in Madrid, Spain. She is a member of Kappa Delta Pi International Honors Society in Education. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 4,063,167 times.

We’ve all been there: you’re reviewing your lecture notes but can’t seem to make out your words as they run together and tilt off the page. It would be great if you didn’t have to decode your own writing, so is there any way you can make it better? Whether you’re trying to reign in unruly letters or get back your handwriting flair from years ago, we’ll show you the techniques to use to improve your handwriting. Read on to learn how!

Things You Should Know

  • Find handwriting inspiration online to develop your handwriting style. Copy your favorite letters to incorporate them into your writing.
  • Write out the alphabet to make your letters consistent. Then, practice writing full sentences.
  • Hand write things every chance you get. Write out work to-dos, school notes, start a journal, and send letters to friends.

Step 1 Write a paragraph...

  • Look at the size of your letters in relation to each other, too. Capital letters should be larger than lowercase ones, while tall letters like “t” should extend past small letters like “a.”

Step 8 Determine the areas that you want to improve.

  • You don’t have to adopt an entirely new style or copy someone else’s word for word. Just pick and choose certain aspects of different styles to incorporate the shapes and letters into your writing and make them your own.

Step 2 Find a comfortable grip on your pen or pencil.

  • Your general posture can help improve your writing, too. Wiggle your wrist to loosen it and relax your shoulders as you write.

Step 4 Study a directional...

  • When you find the type of pen or pencil you like, experiment with different lead sizes and pen tips to find what thickness makes your handwriting pop, too.

Step 6 Practice your alphabet.

  • If writing the same phrase over again gets tiring, write down some of your favorite quotes and song lyrics, or practice your own name.

Step 8 Handwrite things whenever you can.

  • To practice your writing every day, start a journal , make your to-do lists by hand, or complete handwriting practice sheets.

Community Q&A

wikiHow Staff Editor

Handwriting Practice Page

handwriting practice essays

  • Writing equal sized letters makes your handwriting look neat and tidy. Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 0
  • Use lined paper to help keep your writing straight. Stay on the line, only taking the letters above or below it as required by the letter's shape (e.g. “q,” “y” and “g”). Thanks Helpful 14 Not Helpful 0
  • Aim to write at least one paragraph each day to help improve your handwriting. Thanks Helpful 12 Not Helpful 5

handwriting practice essays

  • Don't press the nib, or tip, of your pen hard on the paper as you write. Pressing down hard can cause your hand to cramp, so keep your pressure even. Thanks Helpful 18 Not Helpful 3
  • To prevent writer's cramp, use your wrist and arm to support your hand. Then, relax your grip on your pen or pencil. Thanks Helpful 10 Not Helpful 3
  • Don't throw away your templates or practice sheets. Use these as guidelines as you write to see how the letters should look and what you need to improve. Thanks Helpful 10 Not Helpful 3
  • Reuse your practice sheets and paper as much as you can to prevent excess waste. Use the front and back of each sheet and write in the margins. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 6

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  • ↑ https://www.popsci.com/diy/how-to-improve-handwriting/
  • ↑ https://realtytimes.com/agentnews/agentadvice/item/8744-20060406_handwriting
  • ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/tips-to-improve-handwriting-2014-7
  • ↑ https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/kids/resources/ot-activityinformation-sheets/holding-a-pencil/
  • ↑ ​​ https://masgrimes.com/journal/how-to-improve-your-handwriting
  • ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21395194/
  • Videos provided by Katie Angel

About This Article

Courtney Copriviza

To get better handwriting, write so there's enough space between each of your words to fit an imaginary letter "O," and make sure you're writing your letters straight, not slanted. Practice writing with smooth, even lines instead of lines that are squiggly and uneven. Write every day, and handwrite your notes whenever you get a chance so you can keep improving. To learn about how to fix slants and get better line quality while you write, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How To Improve Your Handwriting (+FREE Worksheets)

How To Improve Handwriting cover image

This post and the photos within it may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a commission at no extra charge to you.

When someone asks, “How can I improve my handwriting?” they usually look for a few things they can easily implement to make their writing look more legible or presentable.

The problem is that handwriting is a habit deeply ingrained in both the mind and the muscles, so even a tiny change can be difficult to implement.

I’ve always taken a different approach to helping people with their handwriting, one that might require a little more time and commitment but gives the writer all the tools they need to take their handwriting as far as they like.

The approach is to first understand how handwriting works on a basic level, then apply that understanding to improve your own handwriting.

Sample of beautiful handwriting.

Understanding the Fundamentals of Handwriting

If you don’t understand how handwriting works fundamentally, you will always feel lost when trying to improve your handwriting, even if you are following the advice of a handwriting expert.

When you understand how handwriting works, everything becomes clear. You will know things like:

  • Why the letters have different heights
  • Why the letters are spaced the way they are
  • Why the letters have different forms yet work together to create a cohesive script
  • The way to position your body, hold the pen, and position the paper for optimal writing
  • Why someone’s handwriting is more legible or visually pleasing than another’s

I hope you can see that if you understand all the above, improving your handwriting will be a walk in the park.

So your first task, if you want to improve your handwriting, is to learn the fundamentals of handwriting.

The best way to do this is to study a proven handwriting system.

Any time-tested system will do. I recommend American Cursive because it is a beautiful, legible script.

I also have a  free course that will teach you everything you need to know  about American Cursive.

before and after image example of improved handwriting.

Regardless of what script you choose, by studying one, you will learn how handwriting works, and you will be able to apply what you’ve learned to any other script, including your own chicken scratch.

By studying a script like American Cursive, you will learn these important concepts and more:

  • Body position ,  pen grip , and  paper position
  • The grid , or how the lines printed on the page (and the imaginary ones that aren’t) work with the letters
  • How to write across the page
  • How a script builds on  fundamental strokes  and repeats those strokes throughout the alphabet

If you want a taste of how important the fundamentals are, I suggest you watch the video below titled “The Cursive Grid,” which is from my  free online cursive course .

handwriting practice essays

What Do You Want Your Handwriting to Look Like?

When you study American Cursive or any other script, you will learn to write in that style, but that doesn’t mean your personal handwriting needs to look exactly like the script you are studying.

That said, traditional scripts like American Cursive were successful for a reason.

They evolved out of the culture in which they were created and have stood the test of time as legible, visually pleasing scripts.

You cannot go wrong by trying to emulate a traditional script, and no matter how hard you try, your script will always have personal quirks that are unique to you.

The great thing about studying a traditional script is that you have a very clear and defined vision to work towards.

Every traditional script has an exemplar, which is the ideal letterforms that comprise the script.

With an exemplar in hand, you know exactly what your goal is, and you can always compare your handwriting to the exemplar to see where you are falling short.

Exemplar of American Cursive Lowercase Letters

If you want your handwriting to have its own unique flavor, I suggest you at least find a traditional script to use as a base.

That way, you can take the exemplar from a traditional script and modify it to make it your own, which is much easier than creating an exemplar from scratch.

Of course, you can create one from scratch too, but it takes a lot of time to do it right, and the result won’t be as good unless you understand handwriting at a high level.

Let’s be clear, you need an exemplar. Without an image of the ideal letters, you will wander aimlessly and waste a lot of time while making little improvement.

Whether you are studying from the exemplar of a traditional script or your own unique creation, you will be armed with everything you need to improve your handwriting.

Cursive handwriting example.

You’ve Done the Work, Now Apply It

I know, I know.

You’ve already done a lot of work.

Learning the fundamentals of handwriting is no small task and creating your own exemplar takes time too.

The good news is that your handwriting will already look much better by this point.

That’s because your understanding of handwriting is naturally solving the problems with your handwriting without you having to do anything except pay attention while you write.

Of course, there are more active things you can do to improve your handwriting at this stage.

When you understand the fundamentals, improving your handwriting is a straightforward process –

  • identify errors,
  • and figure out why you are making the errors.

If you can see an error in your writing and then understand exactly why you are making that error, resolving the error is pretty easy.

Here’s an example.

As you can see, our friend’s handwriting here is very cramped in the horizontal direction.

Fixing this is pretty easy because he’s done the work and understands the basics of handwriting.

Our friend was able to fix this problem because he understands that spacing is controlled by the movement of the hand and that movement is limited by the hand’s range of motion.

He is trying to write too many letters without picking up his hand and moving it to the right.

The problem was easily solved by pausing more often to move the hand and continue writing with proper spacing.

This is just one example of how improving your handwriting works when you have an understanding of the fundamentals.

You have all the tools to identify, analyze, and resolve issues with your handwriting.

How much you want to improve your handwriting is up to you.

Handwriting example.

As you improve your handwriting, the errors in your writing will become less noticeable to the average person.

However, you will see more and more errors in your writing.

This is because when you are studying handwriting, you are training your eye to see errors, which allows you to see the more subtle errors that previously escaped your eye.

The only way to end this process is to become satisfied with your handwriting or keep working on it for the rest of your life.

Should you become satisfied with your handwriting, writing regularly will maintain it.

Download free handwriting PDF worksheets

In my free online course, Consistent Cursive, you’ll learn all the needed fundamentals to improve your handwriting. In the download section you’ll also be able to download free handwriting worksheets, which include –

  • Lowercase letters + variations
  • Capital letters + variations
  • Numbers & Symbols
  • Various blank grids for practice

You can check them out on my site by clicking the button below.

Free PDF handwriting worksheets.

Quick recap + final words on improving your handwriting

There you have it, friends.

If you’re genuinely looking to improve your handwriting, this is the best approach you can take. 

Little tips and tricks may marginally improve the look of your handwriting.

However, learning the fundamentals will allow you to take your handwriting to a new level. 

Here is a quick recap of the whole article – 

  • Understand the basics of handwriting
  • Pick and study a proven handwriting system, e.g., American Cursive
  • Always practice using an existing exemplar
  • It’s easier to use an existing exemplar than to create one from scratch
  • You’ll be able to apply the knowledge to other writing styles as well (even create your own)
  • Once you understand the fundamentals, you’ll be able to correct your mistakes
  • The improvement of your handwriting will depend on how much time and effort you put into it

Once again, be sure to check out my free online course that will teach you everything you need to know about American Cursive. 

Now let me ask you something – What has been your biggest struggle with improving your handwriting?

Let me know by dropping a comment below 👇

Thanks for reading!

How to improve handwriting Pinterest pin.

About the author

handwriting practice essays

David has been studying traditional American penmanship since 2016. He has created over 100 videos about penmanship on  YouTube  and his exemplar for business penmanship was featured in the 25th edition of the Speedball Textbook. You can take his free cursive course online at  consistentcursive.com .

8 thoughts on “How To Improve Your Handwriting (+FREE Worksheets)”

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Hi, David. I am left handed, and my great niece (10 years old) has asked me to help her with her penmanship since she is also left handed. We will work together this summer. Do you have any tips for us?

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Hi! Would you be so kind to point me in the good direction to find a similar set of tools/courses but for PRINT handwriting?

' src=

Maybe youtube? Not sure to be honest.

' src=

Finally a true web 🕸 All others are like goat at handwriting themselves

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I can’t thank you enough; and it’s free! I’ve been struggling with this for some time now and I think you have provided an answer for me.

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8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet)

handwriting practice essays

Lindsey Bugbee

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In this article, you’ll find eight tips for producing neat and confident penmanship. You can also download a free cursive worksheet to improve your handwriting! Did you know: TPK offers a comprehensive handwriting improvement online course. You can learn more by clicking here.

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8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet) | The Postman's Knock

People often assume that calligraphy and handwriting are synonymous, but they’re not. In general, calligraphy is comprised of stylized, embellished letters — it’s more art than writing. Conversely, handwriting refers to the style and technique that you use for everyday jotting. Handwriting needs to be quicker and more casual than calligraphy. While everyone has their own personal handwriting style, there’s always room for improvement! In this article, you’ll find eight tips to help you improve your handwriting in video and written form — plus a free worksheet.

How to Improve Your Handwriting: The Video

Let’s have a little chat about how to improve your handwriting! You’re invited into my snowy sunroom to talk about all the different ways you can make your penmanship a bit better:

How to Improve Your Handwriting: The Article

1. use a nice pen.

The adjective “nice” is subjective — you’ll have to hunt to find the pen that works for you! Right now, I’m loving Muji 0.38 mm pens because they’re responsive and write such a fine line. I like Sakura Gelly Roll white pens for writing on dark papers. Keep in mind that preferences change, though, and there’s always a new pen or pencil to discover.

handwriting practice essays

Handwriting purists tend to love fountain pens, and I happily agree that my Pilot Falcon is fabulous. But, don’t be fooled into thinking that a pen will magically transform your handwriting. Yes, a nice pen helps, but it’s not the be-all, end-all of pretty penmanship.

2. Maintain a Relaxed Grip

A relaxed, fairly loose grip is one of the main things that will improve your handwriting. None of the muscles in your hand should feel tense or flexed, and your fingernails shouldn’t be white from squeezing the pen’s barrel.

8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet) | The Postman's Knock

Many people tend to clutch the pen, which will result in an achy hand and shaky writing. We often clutch without realizing we’re doing it, so try to mentally check yourself every few minutes to make sure you’re still holding the pen comfortably.

3. Improve Your Handwriting With Drills

Whether you plan on writing in cursive or print, it can be difficult to form nice letters without warming up. Doing a couple of simple drills will help you to write clear, confident characters. You can use the Drills section of the Improve Your Cursive Worksheet …

8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet) | The Postman's Knock

… Or you can doodle a few “telephone wires” or similar forms.

8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet) | The Postman's Knock

If you’re interested in additional drills, the Improve Your Handwriting Online Course features several helpful exercises! Handwriting drills tend to be simple but mighty, and the more you do them, the more of a difference you’ll notice.

ENROLL IN THE IMPROVE YOUR HANDWRITING ONLINE COURSE

4. Experiment with Paper Rotations

As children, we are generally taught to keep our paper in a vertical position in front of us. If that works for you, great! If not, feel free to experiment with different paper rotations. Keeping the paper at a certain angle can go a long way in helping you to improve your handwriting!

8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet) | The Postman's Knock

Many right-handed people are fine with the traditional vertical paper position, but I’m not one of them. I have always found it easier to write — particularly in cursive– when my paper has a severe counterclockwise rotation. Lefties should try rotating their paper clockwise. For clarification, see my How to Improve Your Handwriting video .

5. Practice with a Worksheet

If you want a structured way to improve your handwriting, I made a free worksheet for you! It’s three pages long and focuses on cursive writing — you can download it by clicking here . Basically, the worksheet takes you through drills, capital and lowercase letters, words, and sentences.

8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet) | The Postman's Knock

The cursive writing featured in the worksheet set isn’t any sort of formal style. Instead, it focuses on the letterforms that I, personally, use in everyday cursive handwriting. Those letters are easy to create, and they connect to each other beautifully to make for quick writing. For intensive exercises and instructions over how to write vintage-style cursive, check out TPK’s Elegant Cursive Handwriting Worksheet . It’s a fabulous investment if you want to infuse your penmanship with sophistication.

This delicately beautiful letter was written using a Pilot Falcon fountain pen and elegant cursive handwriting.

Here’s a list of all the structured handwriting worksheets and instructions that TPK has to offer:

  • Improve Your Cursive Worksheet Set – A free worksheet with helpful practice opportunities
  • Grammy’s Handwriting Exemplar – A free worksheet that offers letterforms based on my grandmother’s beautiful handwriting
  • Learn Cursive Worksheet for Kids (and Adults!) – A worksheet that teaches you how to write in cursive with the help of this free supplementary course
  • Elegant Cursive Handwriting Worksheet – A detailed worksheet set that teaches you how to write in elegant, vintage-style penmanship

6. Sneak in Practice to Improve Your Handwriting

Just like anything else, you will improve your handwriting with use. The more you write using good habits and implementing styles that appeal to you, the better your handwriting will get.

Elegant and Effective Letter Writing Tips | The Postman's Knock

You can get practice through a number of ways — for example, you might send someone a hand-written letter in place of an email or text. If you have the time and interest, you can start writing in a journal every night. Entries don’t have to be long; they can be short accounts of how your day went!

7. Write on Lined Paper or Use a Template

Writing nice, balanced words are a big shortcut to neat handwriting! If you want to write a letter to someone, you can put a piece of notebook paper under printer paper. More than likely, you’ll be able to see the notebook paper lines through the printer paper, and you can use those lines as guidelines for even writing. Or, if you don’t mind the lines, you can write someone a letter directly on notebook paper.

8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet) | The Postman's Knock

This point reminds me of another tip: always use a “padding” piece of paper. No matter what piece of paper you’re writing on, it should always have another piece of paper under it. For some reason, the slightly cushier surface provided by two pieces of paper makes it easier for all pens to write!

8. Embrace Your Personal Style

Handwriting is a very fluid, personal thing that is always evolving. It’s not like calligraphy, where you more or less write the same every time. Instead, you’ll have neat days, and you’ll have not-so-neat days (like the notes pictured below).

8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet) | The Postman's Knock

No matter how your handwriting looks, it is a wonderful reflection of you and your mood. That’s why people love receiving handwritten notes: they represent a piece of you! So, don’t get too hung up on a radical change: instead, focus on making clearly formed alphabet characters that are clear and legible.

How to Make a Beautiful Handwritten Note

I hope that you enjoyed this article, and that it inspires you to ditch the keyboard and write something by hand this weekend! Don’t forget that you can download the Improve Your Cursive Worksheet for free if you want a cursive refresher. It’s not a complicated little worksheet, and it should be helpful.

Thanks very, very much for reading TPK, and enjoy the rest of your day!

Lindsey's Signature | The Postman's Knock

This article was first posted in March of 2017. It has been updated to include new photos, a freshly-filmed video, and additional resources.

*This post contains affiliate links to Amazon

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How to Improve Your Handwriting: 8 Resources for Better Penmanship

Believe it or not, legible handwriting is still important today. Start practicing your handwriting today!

There are plenty of resources, both online and offline, designed to show you how to write neatly. Below, you'll find a list of only the best of the best.

The handwriting exercises you'll learn from these resources, and penmanship practice you'll gain will straighten out those illegible scribbles of yours in no time at all.

Handwriting Exercises: A Few Common Themes

To save you a little time and to give some extra direction, it's worth pointing out a few common exercises that are repeatedly mentioned in the courses, lessons, apps, and books that follow.

You should always keep these in mind, no matter which of these resources you try out.

  • Start with basic movement exercises to loosen up.
  • Practice your handwriting exercises  every day.
  • Slow your writing down.
  • Learn from writing that you like.

The Basics: Cursive Writing for Adults

This basic 29-part YouTube course on How To Write In Cursive  ( the first video is above ) is a thorough place to start. You might feel like you're back in school, but you'll be surprised at how many of the fundamentals have slipped your mind.

Each lesson is extremely short and comes with a free worksheet (which you can find in each video description) to print out to help you practice.

Intermediate Handwriting Exercises

Once you've nailed the basics of cursive (again), you'll likely want to make some improvements to your style to add some more personality or professionalism to your handwriting.

This 14-minute video by professional sign-writer John Neal  looks specifically at how to improve handwriting for adults. The valuable content really starts at 2:30, where you'll be shown how to pay special attention to the rhythm, speed, and direction of your writing.

Penmanship Practice: Become a Pro

Next, work your way through this short, 8-part YouTube course  taught by a handwriting specialist. Much of the information does overlap with the previous video, but hearing two different descriptions of similar handwriting techniques will only help.

Be sure to regularly practice the handwriting exercises you're taught in these videos to help you create the muscle memory that's needed to really make your new skill stick.

Splashing Out

U

If you've tried the above courses without seeing much improvement, it might be time to spend a little cash on something more comprehensive.

Udemy has a highly rated 4-hour course titled Improve your Handwriting - Improve your Life .   I've not taken this course myself, but many past students cite "immediate improvements" after going through the handwriting classes. The course is usually priced at $75, but I've often seen hefty discounts of up to 85%, so it's worth keeping your eyes peeled.

The aim of the course is to guide you through daily, 10-minute practice sessions to build your muscle memory, causing a positive effect on your handwriting. You can sign up on Udemy for a free preview of the course.

Books to Improve Your Handwriting

Books to improve your handwriting

If you're looking at using a textbook to help improve your handwriting, there are two books I would recommend.

The first is Rosemary Sassoon's Improve Your Handwriting . The structure of this book encourages adult readers to experiment with styles to find the one that works for them, including left-handers.

The second is Barbara Getty's Write Now: The Complete Program For Better Handwriting . The aim of this book is to help anyone "achieve elegant, legible handwriting" by focusing on writing in a specific italic style.

Apps to Help You Write Neatly

Although handwriting is almost exclusively for pen and paper these days, you can use mobile devices (preferably tablets) to help you practice. Using these apps on your smartphone is possible, but you'd definitely benefit from a larger, flatter area on which to write.

Cursive Practice (iOS)

If you have an iPad, the Cursive Practice app is an easy way for you to practice your cursive writing on the go. The handwriting lessons take you through uppercase, lowercase, individual words, cursive practice sentences, and numbers. You can also change the width and style of your "pen".

Practice Cursive App iOS

Download:  Cursive Practice for  iOS (Free)

LazyDog Calligraphy (Android)

A similar option for Android devices is LazyDog Calligraphy. With this app, you can choose from a range of different handwriting styles, and you'll be scored for each letter, showing you how you're progressing. You'll also have access to printable writing worksheets, so you can practice the same style on paper, too.

LazyDog Calligraphy

Download:   LazyDog Calligraphy for Android (Free)

Remember, for best results, invest in a stylus pen to use with your smartphone,  rather than relying on your finger .

Free Handwriting Worksheets

Once you've spent some time studying how to improve your handwriting, you'll need to have some decent worksheets on which to practice.

Handwriting Worksheets

First off, you should check out our list of free, printable handwriting worksheets . And if they don't deliver,  search Google Images for "handwriting worksheets"  (searching specifically for large images which are suitable for printing), you should be able to find all you need.

Writing Neatly: Why Should You Care?

Whether you believe it or not, knowing how to write legible, cursive handwriting is still important . Of course, certain common arguments for teaching cursive in schools don't hold up to scrutiny .

For children, good handwriting leads to improved grades.  For adults, writing things out by hand can  act as therapy , and it can also improve memory.

Yes, you can access some of these benefits even with bad handwriting. But if your scrawls remain illegible, then you lose out on a chunk of these benefits because you simply can't understand what you wrote down in the first place. This means you won't be able to revisit those thoughts again in the future.

If you're looking for an even more pragmatic reason to improve your handwriting, remember that the handwritten note will never be fully replaced by email. When it comes to building your network or climbing the career ladder, Jessica Cleiman believes :

"In this day and age, when sadly we're getting fewer and fewer letters in the mail, a handwritten thank you note, well-crafted on good stationery, will make a candidate [or acquaintance] stand out from others who chose not to take that extra, personal step."

A hand-written note tends to hold more value than a quick email or message. If you are able to craft such a note in decent, if not excellent, handwriting then, you're able to use this as a tool to create deeper relationships and to stand out from the crowd.

A Life of Beautiful Handwriting

Once you've spent a good deal of time practicing the lessons you learn from the handwriting resources mentioned in this article, writing beautifully will become the new norm for you. You can finally have pride in your handwriting. And you can use your new skill in handwriting to start pursuing even more creative skills or perhaps write a letter to a soldier .

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Christopher Bergland

Why Does Writing by Hand Promote Better and Faster Learning?

Handwriting practice may improve literacy learning by engaging motor functions..

Posted July 9, 2021 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

  • Why Education Is Important
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  • Handwriting practice involves specific motor skills that are only engaged when writing by hand with a pen or pencil.
  • A new "handwriting and literacy learning" study shows that writing-by-hand practice promotes faster learning than non-motor writing practice.
  • The learning advantage gained by handwriting practice may be linked to the perceptual-motor experience of writing by hand.
  • Cursive handwriting engages sensorimotor brain regions that are not activated by typewriting; this neural activity helps students learn better.

Free-Photos/Pixabay

New research from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) suggests that handwriting practice refines fine-tuned motor skills and creates a perceptual-motor experience that appears to help adults learn generalized literacy-related skills "surprisingly faster and significantly better" than if they tried to learn the same material by typing on a keyboard or watching videos. These findings ( Wiley & Rapp, 2021 ) were published on June 29 in the peer-reviewed journal Psychological Science .

For this study, Robert Wiley and Brenda Rapp conducted a two-phase experiment involving 42 non-Arabic-speaking adults randomly divided into three groups of learners: hand-writers, typers, and video watchers.

In the experiment's first phase, each participant was taught the Arabic alphabet (i.e., abjad), which has 28 letters, using motor and non-motor learning styles depending on their group.

After six learning sessions, everyone in the video watching and type-writing group had learned the Arabic alphabet and could identify each of its 28 letters. However, people in the handwriting group—who used pen and paper to write each letter during their learning sessions—gained the same level of proficiency after just two learning sessions.

During the second phase of this experiment, the researchers tested to what extent (if at all) participants in each group could "generalize" their new knowledge by using Arabic letters to spell new words or to read unfamiliar words with abjad lettering. The researchers found that the handwriting group was "decisively" better at this type of literacy-related generalization.

Why Does Writing by Hand Help Us Learn?

The 3 research questions addressed by Wiley and Rapp include:

  • Are the benefits of handwriting practice due to motor learning per se or to other incidental factors?
  • Do the benefits generalize to untrained tasks?
  • Does handwriting practice lead to learning and strengthening only of motor representations or of other types of representations as well?

"Our results clearly show that handwriting compared with nonmotor practice produces faster learning and greater generalization to untrained tasks than previously reported," the co-authors explain. "Furthermore, only handwriting practice leads to learning of both motor and amodal symbolic letter representations."

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How Does Handwriting Help When Learning to Read?

When learning to read, why does writing an alphabet's letters by hand work best? Handwriting creates a perceptual-motor experience, the authors posit.

"The simple act of writing by hand provides a perceptual-motor experience that unifies what is being learned about the letters (their shapes, their sounds, and their motor plans), which in turn creates richer knowledge and fuller, true learning," the researchers said in a July 7 news release .

Although the participants in this study were all adults, Wiley and Rapp speculate that the same results would be seen in children. When learning an alphabet for the first time, this research suggests that writing the letters by hand optimizes literacy learning. This research also has implications for K-12 classrooms, where literacy learning is increasingly dependent on computer tablets and laptops. These digital devices fail to create a perceptual-motor experience, which may impede learning.

"The question out there for parents and educators is why should our kids spend any time doing handwriting," Rapp, a professor of cognitive science at Johns Hopkins University, said in the news release. "Obviously, you're going to be a better hand-writer if you practice it. But since people are handwriting less, then maybe who cares? The real question is: Are there other benefits to handwriting that have to do with reading and spelling and understanding? We find there most definitely are."

handwriting practice essays

"With writing, you're getting a stronger representation in your mind that lets you scaffold toward these other types of tasks that don't in any way involve handwriting," Wiley, a former JHU doctoral student who is currently a professor at the University of North Carolina, added.

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Writing or Drawing by Hand Triggers Robust Neural Activity in the Brain's Sensorimotor Regions

The latest JHU handwriting research builds on the findings of a Norwegian University of Science and Technology study ( Askvik, Van der Weel, & Van der Meer, 2020 ) from last year, which found that 12-year-old children and young adults learn more efficiently and remember new knowledge better when writing by hand instead of using a keyboard. This high-density EEG study tracked and recorded brain wave activity during classroom learning. The researchers identified neuroscience -based ways that cursive handwriting was superior to typewriting when learning in the classroom and why learning cursive is good for our brains .

"The use of pen and paper gives the brain more 'hooks' to hang your memories on. Writing by hand creates much more activity in the sensorimotor parts of the brain," senior author Audrey van der Meer said in an October 2020 news release . "A lot of senses are activated by pressing the pen on paper, seeing the letters you write, and hearing the sound you make while writing. These sensory experiences create contact between different parts of the brain and open the brain up for learning. We both learn better and remember better."

In their paper's abstract, the NTNU authors sum up their findings on the importance of cursive handwriting over typewriting for learning in the classroom: "We conclude that because of the benefits of sensory-motor integration due to the larger involvement of the senses as well as fine and precisely controlled hand movements when writing by hand and when drawing, it is vital to maintain both activities in a learning environment to facilitate and optimize learning."

Robert W. Wiley and Brenda Rapp. "The Effects of Handwriting Experience on Literacy Learning." Psychological Science (First published: June 29, 2021) DOI: 10.1177/0956797621993111

Eva Ose Askvik, F. R. (Ruud) van der Weel and Audrey L. H. van der Meer. "The Importance of Cursive Handwriting Over Typewriting for Learning in the Classroom: A High-Density EEG Study of 12-Year-Old Children and Young Adults." Frontiers in Psychology (First published: July 28, 2020) DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01810

Christopher Bergland

Christopher Bergland is a retired ultra-endurance athlete turned science writer, public health advocate, and promoter of cerebellum ("little brain") optimization.

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Best Handwriting Examples and Tips

 Writing is a part of everyday life. Perfect  handwriting  not only helps children improve their academic performance but also increases their focus.  Handwriting  skills are essential for both youngsters and adults. It is said that perfect handwriting, like  speech  fluency, is an essential personality trait of a person. Thus, it is essential to have good, clean, legible handwriting. 

In this article, we will look at the characteristics of good handwriting and  tips  on how to improve your handwriting. Furthermore, we have listed some perfect handwritings written by individuals that will leave you awestruck.

What is perfect handwriting?

Specific shape, character spacing, characterization, paper pressure, connecting strokes, beginning and ending strokes, dots and cross-strokes, space between the words, select a look.

  • Examine your Posture

Select the Appropriate Pen

A beautiful grocery list, a mesmerizing self-affirmation quote, cursive handwriting, a list of cabinet ministers, the finest hindi handwriting, simple notes in simple handwriting.

Perfect handwriting has certain requirements. They are as follows:

  • The font should be readable. 
  • The alphabets should be uniform, balanced and well-spaced. 
  • You must write with minimal pressure.

Now, let us dive deeper into the characteristics of good handwriting. 

Tips  on  “How to write an Informal Letter”

Characteristics of Good Handwriting

This means that letters should be of the  right shape . For example, do not write an ‘a’ to look like an ‘o’. 

The amount of space between characters must be appropriate. For example, all alphabets in a word are connected but the alphabets in two different words have a space between them. 

The slope of an alphabet (the angle at which a character tends to tilt) must be uniform. Furthermore, ensure that the letter tilts to the right side.

Font size  should not be too large or too small to read. Additionally, it must be clearly readable.

Paper pressure refers to the pressure a writer puts on the paper when writing. Applying too much pressure lead to an imprint on the later pages, thus, making the information on those pages illegible. 

Connecting strokes  are those that link one alphabet to the next. These strokes indicate whether the writer wishes to raise the pen to go to the next word or wants to keep the alphabets together to form one word.  

This indicates if the writer uses an ending or a beginning stroke, thus, allowing the reader to understand if he is beginning or ending the sentence. 

Dots are used in some characters like ‘i’ and ‘j,’ whereas cross strokes are used in letters like ‘f’ and ‘t’. These dots and cross-strokes must be made perfectly for the handwriting to be considered good.

We have already talked about spaces between the words above, but for handwriting to be perfect and readable, there must be space between the words. Good handwriting with the appropriate gap between words earns a high legibility score.

Make your Handwriting Better

The foundations for good handwriting are laid by solid writing  motor abilities . It’s crucial to learn and improve fundamental motions such as the smooth movement of fingers as well as wrists. Furthermore, you should hold the pen correctly, and ensure that you handle the writing tool and paper with less pressure.

These basic skills translate into writing words, sentences and paragraphs. 

If you have the basic skills down,  then  look below for a few tips to improve your handwriting. 

Several handwriting styles are available to writers.  Cursive  handwriting, in which capital and lowercase letters flow together on a sheet of paper, is preferred by the majority. However, some individuals even opt for a  print font . Here are the differences between the two types of fonts:

Writers with exceptional handwriting may pursue a profession in hand lettering and typeface design. For example, calligraphers perform  calligraphy , an ancient  art form  in which letterforms are handled with the same attention and regard as painted images.

Examine your  Posture

Sit straight with your legs uncrossed, and your feet flat on the ground. Relax your forearm and hand. Then, make your hand floppy by shaking it. 

Many youngsters curl their arm over the paper when writing, but sitting up straight, with your forearm resting on the table, allows the arm to move the fingers rather than the wrist, which is better for perfect handwriting.

Fountain pens , which lend themselves nicely to cursive writing, are commonly used in modern calligraphy. Ballpoint pens use less ink, and while they’re fantastic for  doodling  and scribbled notes, they’re often insufficient for fine lettering. However, they are a student’s choice of pen and are great while writing  exams . 

Select the Appropriate Paper

Write on  lined paper . When beginning to  practice  writing, opt for a lined paper with lines much larger than normal to ensure good letter  formation . When things have improved, you may reduce the width of the lines. Furthermore, a bulky pad may cause your posture to be distorted, so pull off a few pages or use a thin pad. 

Look through your work

Write the alphabets on a sheet of lined paper, striving to unite every letter. Concentrate on the letters that are the most difficult for you. For example, your ‘Os’ could resemble your ‘ Qs’ or the other way around. Check if any letters are not properly formed. For example, writing with the tops of your ‘g’ and ‘a’ open, allowing them to be mistaken for a ‘y’ or ‘u’. Finally, make a note of the letters you don’t like and focus on fixing them.

Double-check the letter heights

Letters must have the exact height in proportion to one another; if the height of your letters is incorrect, it will be difficult to understand your writing. For example, your ‘k’ has a small ascender, but ‘g’, ‘j’ and ‘y’ have large descenders that invade the line below, making your writing seem cramped. 

Consistent practice is essential

If you want to improve your penmanship start by writing on lined paper. You can use a handwriting book to practice writing, but the most basic method of handwriting practice is to simply write a piece of  prose , concentrating on one sentence at a  time .

Make sure you have the right grip. Furthermore, avoid using a vice grip with your pen; this approach is unsuitable for any type of writing, even doodling. Instead, use your  index  finger to guide your pen.

Here is a worksheet you can use to practice.

Cursive Lowercase Letters | Worksheet – Download

Take it easy and go slow

There’s no need to write at breakneck speed unless you’re in a hurry for an exam. Thus, focus on each word and ensure that the content you are writing is clean and legible. 

Begin keeping a notebook or journal

Start a daily notebook to practice your handwriting regularly. All you need to do is spend about five minutes writing a small paragraph in your notebook. This will help you improve your handwriting faster. Additionally, you may also maintain a journal and write in it every day. 

Make a copy of your favourite handwriting

Get some tracing paper and start copying a new style. The more you duplicate a certain method of writing, the simpler it will be to incorporate its components into your handwriting.

Consider enrolling in a formal class

It may be difficult to obtain a handwriting class after high school, however,  calligraphy classes  may be found in most cities. Graphic designers may also teach community programs, however, these are mostly for digital skills like layout and typeface design.

We have a step by step instruction guide given below. This guide is a summary of the  points  mentioned above.

People with the Best Handwriting

handwriting practice essays

One of Continental Kosher Butchers’ clients submitted this list of meats she desired. The customer’s penmanship piqued the shopkeeper’s interest, and he couldn’t help but publish it on Instagram. 

handwriting practice essays

Richa Mourya posted this self-affirmation quotation to her Instagram account, captioning it, “Everything you express of yourself comes true.” Her flawless and neat handwriting is astounding and without a doubt one of the greatest examples of perfect handwriting you would’ve ever seen.

A Thank You Note!

handwriting practice essays

Comfort posted a thank you card received to them by a client on Instagram. You can’t help but notice the lovely penmanship for the client. 

Gorgeous calligraphy

handwriting practice essays

Best Handwriting has presented gorgeous handwriting that undoubtedly elevated  calligraphy  to a whole new level, thus, providing handwritten inspiration.

Beautiful Classroom Lesson

handwriting practice essays

 Vinyl Sonar can do an almost impossible feat of writing on a chalkboard in such exquisite handwriting. This may be one of the greatest pieces of penmanship in the world.

An Essay on Children’s Day Celebrations

handwriting practice essays

Master handwriting posted a message in immaculate handwriting by Sri Laxmi. This is sure to blow your head. 

handwriting practice essays

Master handwriting added another set of handwritten sentences to their collection. These words are written in cursive and will surely inspire you to improve your cursive writing skills.

handwriting practice essays

Master Handwriting presented a list of India’s cabinet ministers in immaculate penmanship. This may be one of the greatest handwriting in the world.

handwriting practice essays

When it comes to handwriting, English isn’t the only language that can exhibit perfect handwriting. This Marathi phrase was written by Samriddhi Deshmukh, who has one of the world’s cleanest, most wonderful, and greatest handwritings.

handwriting practice essays

Your Easy Notes supplies students with a variety of stationery. They demonstrate some of the greatest writings when it comes to handwritten notes.

Handwriting with a stylish sharp edge

handwriting practice essays

Another hit by Master Handwriting offered one of the most stylish cutting edge handwriting. Its lovely English penmanship looks like it is typed rather than penned.

Indian National Flag Essay

handwriting practice essays

One more hit from Master Handwriting some of the world’s greatest handwriting. This is another example of  calligraphy-style  handwriting that makes you want to change your writing style.

A Handwritten Letter by a Third Grade Student

handwriting practice essays

A third-grade student Ashton wants to ask for new flags. So he writes a letter to a Federal Member of Corio, Richard Marles. This is his beautifully written letter which, Richard Marles even posted on Instagram.

Hindi handwriting that is neat and clean

handwriting practice essays

Your Easy Notes shared one of the greatest Hindi handwriting in the world. It is nice as well as clean and additionally, anybody can read the content. This is a must to look at if you write in Hindi.

Urdu Handwriting at its finest

handwriting practice essays

Another one by Your Easy Notes, however, this time it is written in Urdu. Even if you do not understand Urdu, you can always appreciate how nicely the words are written.

Who has the world’s best handwriting?

Finding the most perfect handwriting in the world is an easy process thanks to the  internet . The same was not true in the  past  when there were geographical limits and thus, determining who had the greatest handwriting in the world was a far more difficult undertaking.

In 2021, Prakriti Malla, an eighth-grade student of Nepal was declared to have the world’s most beautiful handwriting and she quickly became a viral phenomenon on the internet. Her world-class handwriting has yet to be surpassed by anyone, although, to the best of our knowledge, there might be a plethora of people on the globe who have some of the most beautiful handwriting in the world.

What are some of the greatest scripts for handwriting?

Certain scripts are regarded as the best handwriting scripts. These are as follows:

  • Textura script: It is a middle Age script dating back to the 12th to 16th centuries. Gothic Handwriting or Black Letter Handwriting are some other names for this script.
  • Cursive Script: This is one of the most beautiful cursive handwriting scripts.
  • Court Hand Script: This is another mediaeval script that was employed during that time and was regarded as the most beautiful handwriting in the world at the time.

Who has the best handwriting in India?

Ann Mariya Biju, class president, of Nirmala Higher Secondary School in Chemperi, Kannur, has won first place in the ‘artistic handwriting’ category of the World Handwriting Contest. The event, which is judged in New York, takes submissions from all over the world, and, Ann, who won in the teen category, claims that Kerala has only had one previous winner.

She has said that her books and answer papers are so nice that they earn her excellent grades. Ann became interested in calligraphy during the lockdown when she wanted to try something new and different. The youngster has even launched a YouTube channel to show people how to write in calligraphy.

Ann is self-taught and has honed her craft through constant practice, and this is a talent she would like to continue to practice after she becomes a doctor. She performs calligraphy in both English and Malayalam, although she prefers the former since it allows her to explore with different styles. She said, “Proper calligraphy is achieved by the use of good equipment, practice, and effort.” Therefore, she has invested in quality pens and paper for her hobby. Furthermore, she also states that as people have different handwriting each calligrapher would have evolved their style. 

Which handwriting style is ideal for students?

Both a print and cursive font is acceptable in an exam. If you can write correctly in the script, then use that, but if your script is not legible, then a print front is the best option. A point to note is that cursive, joined-up writing enhances processing speed and accuracy. Remember that your handwriting should not be flashy or crammed in. It should be simple straightforward and easy-to-read text.

What are the benefits of perfect handwriting?

Benefits of a perfect handwriting, for children, handwriting stimulates the brain.

Writing requires advanced motor and cognitive abilities. Furthermore, as it triggers the visual perception of letters, good handwriting leads to reading fluency. 

Students with dyslexia benefit from cursive writing.

Because several of the letters, especially ‘b’ and ‘d’, seem identical, children may struggle with writing in print. Additionally, writing in print may make them uneasy and feel disconnected. Cursive writing gives each letter a unique appearance and thus, helps the student write in a fluid, comfortable manner. Children may also overcome their dyslexic inclinations and gain  confidence  in their abilities.

For teenagers

Many standardized evaluations, like timed examinations, are based on written work..

Students will lose out on  learning  opportunities and fall behind if they cannot write quickly and legibly. Furthermore, for many qualifications, good handwriting is a primary element of evaluation. 

Poor handwriting can lead to low self-esteem, which in turn can lead to a lack of confidence.

Children who struggle with handwriting may avoid writing altogether. Moreover, it is difficult for children with terrible handwriting to proofread their work. Therefore, they will be unable to see their errors, causing their confidence to plummet even more.

Examiners must decipher the written text. 

The examiner must understand the content of the paper. If the handwriting is not legible, then the students will receive a lesser grade even if the paper is good. 

Handwriting aids in the development of better writers.

Handwriting greatly affects the composition’s fluidity and quality. Furthermore, legible writing that can be produced quickly and easily allows students to focus on higher-level components of writing composition and topic. Thus, children who have mastered handwriting are more imaginative and talented writers.

Note-taking necessitates the use of handwriting.

Students of all ages should take notes by hand since it increases their attention, understanding, and results. Notes from students must be self-legible, otherwise, they are useless.

Handwriting is used to judge people.

Even after graduation, good penmanship is vital. People are assessed by their handwriting in our society.

It aids communication.

When writing down e-mail addresses, website URLs, and phone numbers, learning to write letters and numbers correctly is vital.  Communication  might be hampered by a single incorrect letter or number.

You can also read about  Common Mistakes made by Calligraphy Beginners

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How to Teach Handwriting—and Why It Matters

Teaching young students how to write by hand before moving on to keyboarding can help improve their reading fluency as well.

Practicing writing the letter R with a pencil on a worksheet

Technology is an undeniable fact of everyday life and can support students’ learning. But there are limits to that: Completely replacing handwriting instruction with keyboarding instruction in elementary school can be detrimental to students’ literacy acquisition. Why are handwriting and letter formation so important?

Research has demonstrated a correlation between letter-naming and letter-writing fluency, and a relationship between letter-naming fluency and successful reading development. There’s a strong connection between the hand and the neural circuitry of the brain—as students learn to better write the critical features of letters, they also learn to recognize them more fluently . This recognition of letters leads to greater letter-writing fluency, which leads to greater overall reading development.

In an article summarizing several studies on handwriting and learning , the writer Maria Konnikova notes, “Not only do we learn letters better when we commit them to memory through writing, memory and learning ability in general may benefit.” When students write letters manually, they learn them more effectively. Switching to keyboarding before students have developed handwriting skills may reduce their ability to recognize letters. Konnikova also cites a study that found that students who wrote by hand—as opposed to on a keyboard—were able to generate more ideas. Students with better handwriting demonstrated “increased overall activation in the reading and writing networks” of the brain.

How to Teach Handwriting

Learning how to print is a developmentally appropriate first step of handwriting instruction for students in grades pre-K to 2, in terms of their fine motor skills. Handwriting instruction does not require a big time investment: Brief lessons and frequent feedback for students can be incorporated in all areas of the curriculum throughout the school day.

There are four main aspects of handwriting instruction: pencil grasp, formation, legibility, and pacing.

Pencil grasp: When it comes to how a child holds a pencil, there are correct and incorrect grasps . The correct grasps—in which the index finger and thumb hold the pencil against the middle finger—result in comfortable and efficient handwriting, while incorrect grasps can cause poor letter formation and fatigue.

A student with a poor pencil grasp may benefit from using tools such as a pencil grip or from wrapping a rubber band around the ring finger and pinkie—not too tightly!—to fold them against the hand. You can also teach the “pinch and flip” trick: The student places the pencil with the writing end facing her, pinches the pencil between the thumb and index finger, and flips the pencil into the correct position.

Formation: This refers to how a student goes about forming letters. Straight lines are easier for students to write than curved ones, so it’s developmentally appropriate to teach students to write capital letters before moving on to lowercase ones.

It’s critical that handwriting instruction be integrated with phonics instruction: As students learn how to write the letters, they should also be learning and practicing the sounds that the letters make. Handwriting and dictation activities are the cornerstone of any multisensory phonics instruction program, as requiring students to consistently practice forming the letters while connecting them to sounds will serve to better embed phonics concepts in the brain.

For students who struggle with letter formation, explicit instruction is particularly important. Students should be taught to start their letters at the top (or middle, as is the case with some lowercase letters), and use continuous strokes as much as possible. Some letters will require them to lift up their pencils, and they should be taught when to do this. Using lined paper is helpful, as is giving students a variety of visual aids: arrow cues for stroke direction, dots for starting points, dotted letters for tracing, etc. Students also benefit from “skywriting” letters—tracing letters in the air with an index finger while holding their arm straight out.

The letters b , d , p , and q are often confused by younger students. Teaching the correct formation of these letters can help diminish the confusion, as they have different starting points— b , for instance, starts from the top, whereas d starts in the middle. Internalizing the motor patterns for these letters can help make recognition more automatic.

Legibility: An important factor impacting legibility is spacing between words. It’s helpful to encourage students to use a “finger space” between words—right-handed students can put an index finger on the line after one word before writing the next one. This technique doesn’t work for left-handed students, who will benefit from using a narrow tongue depressor as a spacing tool.

Pacing: If students are using an appropriate pencil grasp and forming letters correctly, that will often solve any pacing challenges. Another factor to consider when looking at pacing is the press: Students should not be pressing the pencil down on the paper too hard as they write because doing so can lead to writing fatigue and a greatly reduced rate of letter production. But if they press too lightly, it can be a sign of weak muscles or inappropriate pencil grasp. Encourage students to write with a variety of materials (markers, short pencils, crayons, erasable markers on whiteboards) to help them adjust how hard they press.

School days are packed with instructional priorities, and it can be easy to let handwriting fall by the wayside. However, with just a few minutes a day, students’ letter formation skills can improve, leading to positive outcomes for overall literacy development.

handwriting practice essays

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26 Free Handwriting Practice Worksheets – Easy download!

We have free handwriting practice worksheets!   I am excited to add a new bundle of helpfulness and fun!

Handwriting Practice Worksheets

To get this download, enter in your information in the form below. You will be added to our email list where you will find out about more fun things like more freebies!  If you have any trouble with your free handwriting practice worksheets, contact me at [email protected] and let me know that you are having trouble with the “free handwriting practice worksheets.”  (We have many free downloads and I will know that this is the packet you are looking for).

Do you Teach Handwriting?  Make Handwriting fun by teaching drawing too!

Handwriting Patch - Make Handwriting Fun!

We also have the following free handwriting practice worksheets available on our site.

Handwriting

Free Handwriting Practice Worksheets  (lower case letters, dotted trace) 1 Handwriting Practice for Kids  (lower case letters, dotted trace) 2 Preschool Handwriting Practice  (lower case letters, dotted trace) 3 Free Handwriting Sheets  (lower case letters, without trace) Free Printable Handwriting Worksheets  (upper case letters, without trace) 1 Printable Handwriting Pages  (upper case letters, without trace) 2 Printable Handwriting Worksheets for Kids  (upper case letters, dotted trace) 1 Kids Handwriting Worksheets  (upper case letters, dotted trace) 2 Handwriting Practice Printables  (upper and lower case letters, without trace) 1 Preschool Handwriting Worksheets  (upper and lower case letters, without trace) 2 Handwriting Printable Worksheets  (upper and lower case letters, cut and paste, case recognition) Handwriting Worksheets for Kids  (upper and lower case letters, dotted trace) Printable Handwriting Worksheets for Kids  (tracing, writing, sign language)

Reading Resources Bundle

Madreen Karle is a master first grade reading teacher with over 30 years of classroom experience. She taught reading in a special needs and English as a Second Language classroom. After retiring she wrote a reading program to help others learn how to teach reading. She is a trusted educator and author of  5 books to help teach children  to read and write. In addition to her books, she is a mentor for 3 websites that give reading teacher tips ( Mrs. Karle’s Sight and Sound Reading ,  Mrs. Karle’s Reading Patch , and  Mrs. Karle’s Handwriting Patch ). Through her teaching she learned that confidence was the key to learning to read. A child who is not confident at reading does not like to read and struggles to read. Mrs. Karle created “sunshine moments” to help teach children how to grow their confidence and learn to read. Meeghan Karle Mousaw (Madreen’s daughter) has her Master’s in Special Education. She has 8 years experience teaching children to read online. In addition, she developed a curriculum to teach children handwriting called  The Handwriting Patch . With the Handwriting Patch learning is fun because children learn to draw and learn handwriting at the same time. In 2019 The  Handwriting Patch curriculum became an amazon best seller  the first year it was released, helping thousands of kids learn handwriting with a unique, fun method. She is mom to 6 kids, each with differently learning abilities and struggles. The  Reading Patch  was established by the creators of  Mrs. Karle’s Sight and Sound Reading . Together they have been featured on the NBC media outlets and Parents Magazine online. Over the last 8 years in their online platform, Madreen and Meeghan have worked tirelessly with teachers, homeschoolers and parents looking to help children learn to read to become a trusted authority in teaching children to read and advocating early literacy skills. They often partner with other educational experts to deliver the most current information to the Reading Patch community.

21 Comments

Wow! Cool post! Thank you!

thanks so much. your worksheets are so helpful

You are so welcome. Enjoy! 🙂

That is a great effort Thank you very much

You are so welcome…have fun!

Thank you very much, I got your awesome worksheets and I love it!!

Yay! I am so glad you love it…enjoy! 🙂

plz send me your work sheets

Hi there, It looks like you are trying to get our free download. To get your freebie you enter your email into the light blue box on the page. I WILL DO THAT FOR YOU NOW. Then…. check your spam folder…sometimes things go there. The freebie has a subject of “Here is your free download!” …Inside that email there is a link. That link, if you click on it, the download will either popup in a new tab or download into your download folder. Sometimes that link does not come hyperlinked. If that happens you have to copy/paste the link into a new browser tab and it will then open for you. If you have trouble with this, though, send me an email ( [email protected] ) and I will help you!

Good morning. How are you? I can´t download the worksheets. can you please help me? My email is [email protected] or [email protected] Thank you so much.

Hi there, It looks like you are trying to get our free download. To get your freebie you enter your email into the light blue box on the page. I WILL DO THAT FOR YOU NOW. Then…. check your spam folder…sometimes things go there. The freebie has a subject of “Here is your free download!” …Inside that email there is a link. That link, if you click on it, the download will either popup in a new tab or download into your download folder. Sometimes that link does not come hyperlinked. If that happens you have to copy/paste the link into a new browser tab and it will then open for you. If you have trouble with this, though, send me an email ( [email protected] ) and I will help you!

i love hand writing

very useful

Hi there, I think you were looking for some free resources on my site but were having some trouble. I updated my site and the free downloads disappeared. I fixed things now and I just entered your email so you should get the download. 1) Check Spam – sometimes things go there. 2) Subject is “Here is your free download” – there is a link inside. Sometimes that link is not hyperlinked…you may have to… 3) copy/paste the hyperlink for the download. It should open or download into your download folder 4) If you have trouble, write me at [email protected] (forward me the freebie email because I don’t know which freebie you wanted).

Thanks! Have fun! Meeghan

Hello! I’m looking forward to using these worksheets with our daughter!

Thank you so much!

Hi there, I think you were looking for some free resources on my site but were having some trouble. I updated my site and the free downloads disappeared. I fixed things now and I just entered your email so you should get the download. 1) Check Spam – sometimes things go there. 2) Subject is “Here is your free download” – there is a link inside. Sometimes that link is not hyperlinked…you may have to… 3) copy/paste the hyperlink for the download. It should open or download into your download folder 4) If you have trouble, write me at [email protected] (forward me the freebie email because I don’t know which freebie you wanted).

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Handwriting practice, handwriting worksheets.

These are the latest versions of the handwriting worksheets. They have been rewritten to use sweeping lines instead of static fonts. This results in natural curves that match how cursive lines are actually written. Some additional formats and features will be added as we continue development. Please let us know if you have any issues using them.

  • Print Handwriting Practice
  • Pre-Cursive Handwriting Practice
  • Cursive Handwriting Practice
  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

Black History Month for Kids: Google Slides, Resources, and More!

25 Ways to Help the Zoom Generation Get Back to Paper and Pencil

We love technology, but doing things the old school way is also important.

african american child writing in a notebook at a desk with stacks of book

After many, many months of online learning, teachers are finding that their students are having a hard time getting away from their keyboards and back to paper and pencil. But the importance of handwriting has long been documented. In addition to the beneficial effects on brain development, handwriting helps students build fine motor skills and dexterity and leads to greater engagement and retention.

So how do we reintegrate this valuable skill back into our students’ repertoire? By making it fun, of course. Here are 25 interesting, engaging activities to motivate your students to get back to doing things by hand.

1. Practice cartography skills

a hand-drawn map of a child's neighborhood

Source: Tree Valley Academy

Have your students create a map of their home, or their room, or their neighborhood. Then, have them draw and label each part of the space they chose. Map making can reinforce language, geography, and math skills.

2. Whip up a menu

Pretend your classroom is a restaurant and ask your students to create the perfect menu. Give each student a piece of card stock and have them decorate the menu and write out the items, including descriptions and prices.

3. Leave encouraging notes

young girl with glasses writing a note with a marker

Source: iMom

Spread kindness throughout your classroom! Assign each student a secret buddy. For one week, ask them to leave daily encouraging notes and/or drawings for their buddy. At the end of the week, gather students on the rug and give each student three chances to guess who their secret buddy is.

4. Develop letter writing skills

Learning how to correspond in writing is an important life skill. Teach your students the proper format for both a friendly letter and a business letter. Then let them practice by writing a letter to a family member, friend, or classmate. Have a supply of pretty writing paper and envelopes on hand to make the assignment even more special.

5. Show your appreciation

Make cards to say thank you to the people at your school that make a difference. Let your students choose to whom they would like to write, for instance, the principal, lunchroom workers, custodian, or librarian. Provide art supplies for them to craft their card and lined paper to write their note. Let them deliver their notes, a few at a time, during passing periods or before or after school.

6. Devise a treasure hunt

Illustration of indoor treasure hunt map

Source: The Spruce

Kids love going on a treasure hunt! Why not give them the opportunity to create their own? Have students write 5-7 clues, each on a separate piece of paper, leading to a specific destination. Also, have them devise a “treasure”—a pretty drawing, an origami animal, a funny joke—whatever they can come up with. Set up a time for students to pair up and go on each others’ hunts. This activity is great for practicing sequencing skills and choosing precise language.

7. Start a conversation journal

During literacy time, have students swap writing journals with a friend and write a question for them to answer. Each student then takes their own journal back, reads the question, and answers using at least three sentences. Coach students to ask questions that inspire more than just a yes or no answer.

8. Make up your own games

Divide students into groups of four and ask them to come up with a board game to share with the class. Provide them with a template , or let them devise their own, if they’d like. In addition to illustrating and coloring their game board, they must write out the rules for the game.

9. Create a comic strip

student sample of a hand drawn comic strip

Source: The Well Equipped Volunteer

Drawing and writing both help build fine motor skills. Download an assortment of templates and have your students create their own comic strip, featuring an original character. Be sure to have them include drawings and words.

10. Take a story and run with it

Choose a read-aloud for your students, then have them write a new chapter for a story, change the ending, or write the story from a different point of view.

11. Publish your own books

In my classroom, students loved nothing more than stapling a fat stack of plain white paper together to make their own books. They especially loved writing together and would pair up to write joke books, mysteries, and even poetry collections. Sometimes a blank slate sparks the most creative writing.

12. Take a deeper dive with a reading journal

Pairing literacy instruction with a reading journal is a must. Journals provide students a place to write reflections, draw sketches, jot down interesting words, copy inspiring quotes, and more.

13. Fashion a nature journal

student's nature journal with illustrations of things found in nature

Source: Ladder Mouse

Take your students outside as often as you can. And when you go, make sure students bring their nature journals. Sit together in a space where students can spread out, then set a timer. Ask students to use their five senses to observe everything around them in silence. Then have them write and draw whatever inspires them until the timer goes off.

14. Set up your own game show

Divide your class into teams and give each team a dry erase board and marker. As emcee, you will ask a question, and one member from each team will write their answer on a dry erase board. Ask them to keep their answers hidden until you prompt them to reveal. Award each team one point for every correct answer. Team members will rotate through, until all of the questions have been asked. The team with the most points at the end wins.

15. Create a travel brochure

student created travel brochures

Source: Layers of Learning

This is a fun project for students to show what they know in a fun way. Using an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of card stock folded into three sections, students can create a travel brochure of a state, a country, or a planet. Tailor the topic to whatever subject you’re currently studying, and give students guidelines for what type of content to include.

16. Provide fun writing prompts

When it comes to writing time, the biggest obstacle for many students is coming up with a topic. Good writing prompts can make a big difference. We’ve created a set of fun writing prompts, one for each of the elementary grades K-6. Check out this second grade version , then scroll to the bottom for links to prompts for other grades.

17. Write with pizzazz

example of words written in rainbow style

Source: Rainy Day Mum

Make writing more fun by introducing new and different styles for your students to try out. Try rainbow writing (each letter or word is a different color). Or write your name or other favorite word in the middle of a sheet of paper, then trace around it multiple times using a different color each time. Check out books on beginning calligraphy or try to copy different handwriting fonts.

18. Connect with a penpal

Pairing your students up with a penpal will help them practice their writing skills and give them the opportunity to make a new friend.

19. Do crosswords

Crossword puzzles are a fun way to learn new vocabulary. Try this crossword generator to create your own custom puzzles. Create different versions for different subjects and different ability levels.

20. Play connect the dots

child bent over a notebook doing a dot to dot activity

Source: Imagination Soup

Younger students can practice number and letter sequencing with connect the dots puzzles. This site has over 50 free printable versions for students of all ages.

21. Teach guided note taking

With guided notes, the teacher provides some type of outline of the material to be covered, but with space left for students to complete key information. Learning how to listen for critical information, and write it down, is a skill that students will carry with them all the way through college.

22. Label the U.S. map

a student drawn map of the usa

Source: YouTube

Provide students with a blank map of the United States. Have them label each state with the correct name. Let them use an atlas the first few times, then have them challenge themselves to complete the map without looking.

23. Conduct surveys

Ask students to come up with a question for their classmates. For example, what is your favorite animal, color, food, etc.? Have each student write their question at the top of a piece of paper and attach it to a clipboard. When everyone has their question ready, allow students to mingle and record their classmates’ answers. You can tie this writing activity to a math lesson and have each student create a graph of their results.

24. Write a story together

Pool your imaginations and write a whole-class story. Begin by writing the opening line on a piece of lined paper to get students started. Pass the paper to a student and have them read your sentence, then write the next one. Continue around the class, not talking about the story but letting each student read it for themself, until the last student has contributed. When the story is complete, read it aloud for everyone to hear. To keep students busy when it’s not their turn, have them read or work on an assignment.

25. Make lists

Have students pull out their writing journals and ask them a question. For example, “What are your…” 10 action movie characters, 25 favorite foods to eat, 12 favorite animals, places you’d like to visit, etc.? Alternatively, have students brainstorm ideas for topics to write about in their free time.

What are your best tips for getting students back to paper and pencil? Please add to the comments below.

Plus, read more about the benefits of cursive writing ..

25 Ways To Help the Zoom Generation Get Back to Paper and Pencil

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Make Handwriting Practice Worksheets

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Print Handwriting Practice Worksheets. Basic print trace or hollow letters appear on your worksheet. Just type and letters magically appear. So Cool!

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D'Nealian Handwriting Practice

handwriting d'nealian practice worksheets

D'Nealian Handwriting Practice Worksheets. Use either dot or hollow trace letters and with all the same options as on our PRINT worksheet maker.

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Cursive Handwriting Practice

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Cursive Handwriting Practice Worksheets. Teach cursive with our perfect connecting cursive handwriting letters. Cursive is crucial for teaching students how to write their signature.

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Paragraph For Handwriting Practice

Paragraph For Handwriting Practice: A Comprehensive Guide

Paragraph For Handwriting Practice: In today’s digital age, it can be easy to overlook the importance of handwriting practice. However, handwriting remains a critical skill for both children and adults. Handwriting practice not only helps develop fine motor skills but also plays a significant role in cognitive development, creativity, and memory retention. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the benefits of handwriting practice, techniques for improving handwriting, and resources for both children and adults.

Paragraph For Handwriting Practice

In this blog Paragraph For Handwriting Practice, we include the Paragraph For Handwriting Practice, in 100, 200, 250, and 300 words. Also cover the Paragraph For Handwriting Practice belonging to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and up to the 12th class. You can read more Essay Writing in 10 lines, and about sports, events, occasions, festivals, etc… Paragraph For Handwriting Practice is also available in different languages. And the following are the benefits, tips, practices, and resources of Paragraph For Handwriting Practice.

Benefits Of Handwriting Practice

  • Improved hand-eye coordination: Handwriting practice involves the coordination of hand and eye movements. This helps develop fine motor skills and improves hand-eye coordination, which is essential for other activities such as sports and playing musical instruments.
  • Increased cognitive development: Handwriting engages the brain in ways that typing on a keyboard cannot. Writing letters and forming words by hand helps develop cognitive skills, such as problem-solving and critical thinking.
  • Boost in creativity and imagination: Handwriting encourages creativity and imagination by allowing individuals to express themselves freely without the constraints of a keyboard. It is a more personal and intimate form of expression.
  • Improved memory retention: Studies have shown that handwriting helps with memory retention. This is because writing by hand requires individuals to engage with the material more deeply and make a stronger connection between the mind and the written word.
  • Enhanced communication skills: Handwriting is an essential component of communication skills. The ability to write legibly and effectively convey a message through handwriting is critical in personal and professional settings.

How To Practice Handwriting

How To Practice Handwriting

  • Choosing the right writing tool and paper: The writing tool and paper used for handwriting practice can make a significant difference in the quality of handwriting. A comfortable pen or pencil and smooth, high-quality paper can make the writing experience more enjoyable and improve the overall outcome.
  • Proper grip and posture: Proper grip and posture are critical for comfortable and efficient handwriting. The pencil or pen should be held in a comfortable and relaxed grip, and the paper should be positioned at a comfortable angle.
  • Basic letter formation and practice exercises: Practicing basic letter formation and common handwriting patterns are essential for developing good handwriting skills. Simple exercises such as tracing letters and writing out words can help improve handwriting.
  • Tips for improving handwriting skills: Consistency is key when it comes to improving handwriting skills. Practicing regularly and paying attention to details such as letter size, spacing, and slant can help improve handwriting skills over time. Writing slowly and focusing on each letter’s formation can also help improve legibility.

Handwriting Practice For Children

  • The role of handwriting in childhood development: Handwriting is an essential component of early childhood education. Learning to write by hand helps develop fine motor skills, cognitive skills, and communication skills.
  • Activities to help children develop handwriting skills: There are several activities parents and educators can use to help children develop handwriting skills. These include practicing letter formation, tracing letters, and drawing pictures.
  • Benefits of incorporating handwriting practice in the classroom: Incorporating handwriting practice in the classroom can help children develop writing skills, critical thinking skills, and communication skills. It can also help children develop a love of learning and a sense of accomplishment.

Handwriting Practice For Adults

  • The impact of technology on adult handwriting skills: Technology has made typing on a keyboard the primary mode of communication for most adults. This has resulted in a decline in adult handwriting skills.
  • Techniques for improving handwriting as an adult: Adults can improve their handwriting skills by practicing regularly, focusing on details such as letter formation and spacing, and using resources such as workbooks or online courses.
  • Benefits of incorporating handwriting practice in daily life: Incorporating handwriting practice in daily life can help adults develop cognitive skills, improve memory retention, and reduce stress. It can also be a relaxing and creative activity.

Handwriting Practice Resources

  • Tools and resources for handwriting practice: There are several tools and resources available for individuals looking to improve their handwriting skills. These include workbooks, online courses, handwriting apps, and handwriting analysis tools. Workbooks, such as the “Handwriting Without Tears” series, provide structured lessons and exercises for improving handwriting skills.
  • Online courses, such as those offered by Udemy or Skillshare, offer more flexible and personalized instruction. Handwriting apps, such as iTrace or Letter School, provide interactive activities and games for practicing handwriting skills. Handwriting analysis tools, such as Graphology, can provide insight into an individual’s personality and behavior based on their handwriting.
  • Best practices for utilizing handwriting practice resources: When using handwriting practice resources, it is essential to choose a resource that fits your needs and learning style. It is also important to set realistic goals and expectations for improvement. Consistent practice and dedication are key to improving handwriting skills, regardless of the resource used.

Handwriting Practice Resources

In conclusion, handwriting practice is a critical skill for both children and adults. It offers numerous benefits, such as improved hand-eye coordination, cognitive development, creativity, memory retention, and communication skills.

Techniques for improving handwriting include choosing the right writing tool and paper, practicing basic letter formation and handwriting exercises, and focusing on details such as letter size and spacing.

Resources for improving handwriting include workbooks, online courses, handwriting apps, and handwriting analysis tools. Regardless of the resource used, consistent practice and dedication are key to improving handwriting skills.

By incorporating handwriting practice into daily life, individuals can improve their cognitive skills, reduce stress, and enjoy relaxing and creative activities. So, pick up a pen or pencil and start practicing today!

Read More: Write A Short Paragraph On The Harms Caused By Microorganisms

FAQs On Paragraph For Handwriting Practice

Question 1. What can we write for handwriting practice?

Answer: To practice handwriting, you can:

  • Write the letters of the alphabet in both uppercase and lowercase.
  • Practice writing common words and phrases, such as “hello,” “thank you,” and “have a nice day.”
  • Write out quotes or passages from books or articles that you enjoy.
  • Write a daily journal entry, short story, or letter to a friend or family member.

Question 2. How do you write a good handwriting paragraph?

Answer: To write a good handwriting paragraph:

  • Choose a topic and write a clear topic sentence at the beginning.
  • Use proper grammar and punctuation to make your sentences clear and easy to read.
  • Write neatly and legibly, making sure that your letters are properly formed and spaced.
  • Proofread your work for spelling and grammar errors, and make any necessary corrections.

Question 3. How do you write a paragraph for a handwriting competition?

Answer: To write a paragraph for a handwriting competition:

  • Choose a topic that allows you to showcase your handwriting skills.
  • Write a clear and engaging topic sentence that captures the reader’s attention.
  • Use proper grammar and punctuation to write well-structured and easy-to-read sentences.
  • Focus on neatness, consistency, and legibility, making sure that every letter is well-formed and well-spaced.

Question 4. How do I start practicing handwriting?

Answer: To start practicing handwriting:

  • Choose a comfortable writing tool, such as a pen or pencil, and good-quality paper.
  • Practice writing the letters of the alphabet, both uppercase and lowercase, to ensure that you are forming them correctly.
  • Use handwriting practice sheets that can be found online or in workbooks to help you with letter formation and spacing.
  • Write every day for at least 15 minutes, gradually increasing the amount of time as your handwriting improves.

Question 5. What are the 5 types of handwriting?

Answer: The 5 types of handwriting are:

  • Print: This is the most basic form of handwriting, where each letter is written separately and in a uniform manner.
  • Cursive: This is a flowing style of handwriting where the letters are joined together in a continuous motion.
  • Italic: This is a slanted form of handwriting that is often used for formal writing such as invitations, certificates, and diplomas.
  • Gothic: This is an ornate and decorative style of handwriting often used in the Middle Ages.
  • Hand lettering: This is a more artistic form of handwriting that involves creating unique and stylized letters using a variety of techniques such as calligraphy, brush lettering, and graffiti.

Read More Essays:

  • My Hobby Drawing
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handwritten a between lines

Interactive Handwriting Practice Lessons (Numbers & Letters)

Legible handwriting is an important skill every student must eventually learn.

With our online handwriting lessons , students can practice writing numbers and letters in D’Nealian and Zaner-Bloser fonts. These lessons also come with step-by-step instructions and videos to show students how to write each character correctly.

With Gynzy, you can have students practice their handwriting on the digital whiteboard , and make use of the content library that includes pre-made and customizable lessons to help teach students to write!

Practice Writing Print and Cursive Letters

When learning a skill as fundamental as handwriting, giving students multiple options for how they choose to write can be helpful.

Our handwriting lessons give students detailed instructions on how to write capital and lowercase letters in both print and cursive, in the D’Nealian and Zaner-Bloser fonts .

For younger students, our letter tracing templates are a great place to start.

Handwriting Letters - Zaner-Bloser Writing

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A Glimpse at Writey’s Features

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Print Writing

Learn the alphabet by interacting with each letter to retain the letters

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Build fine skills and dexterity, create beautiful pieces of writings

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I can highly recommend this app. It’s really helpful and easy to use. I do use my iPad to take notes and it really helps me to write better. Plus I am learning how to write cursive and each letter has arrows so you know how to correctly write a letter. So don’t hesitate to buy this app and enjoy writing.

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Thank you. I can finally work on my handwriting. Thank you for the dark screen. Excellent practice pages with good breakdown - wonderful app.

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It is suitable and helps me write better not only print letter and number writing but also cursive letters and numbers this app has been very helpful for me for this past year’s use. I recommend other parents use this for their children to help them get a little bit more of higher education than in school.

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A to Z Teacher Stuff Tools :: Worksheet Makers, Word Search Generator, Custom Handwriting Sheets, Crossword Puzzles

Make your own printable handwriting worksheets

Create your own custom handwriting worksheets for handwriting practice!

You can choose traditional or modern print styles:

Handwriting Worksheets for Print Practice

  • Letters, numbers, and the following characters can be used:   .  ! ? , ‘ ( ) + = –
  • Use the underscore character  _  to make a division symbol. (Any other characters will show up as an error on the worksheet.)

Choose which mode you prefer:

Landscape or portrait mode?  Approximately 12 characters will fit on one line when printed in portrait mode. Up to 17 characters will print per line when printing in landscape mode. To change print modes, go to your browser’s page setup, then ‘Print Preview’ to check the results before printing. Set your margins at 0.5″ or less for best results.

Also check out our Personalized Printable Name Books

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Coming soon!

Thank you for using my handwriting worksheet maker!  I am a former teacher and now mom of three. I am not a programmer, but taught myself how to code this simple worksheet maker several years ago.

If you want to share pictures of these handwriting worksheets in action, I’d love to see them.  Post on  A to Z’s Facebook .

Happy Handwriting!

-Amanda Post Owner, A to Z Teacher Stuff

TOEFL iBT ®  Test

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No other English language test provider has a prep offering like this — designed for you, with you. TOEFL ® TestReady ™ combines the best TOEFL iBT prep offerings with exclusive features and deeper insights to enhance your English communication skills. All feedback, recommendations, personalized insights and tips are developed by the same teams that write and produce the TOEFL iBT test.

Whether you’re just embarking on your TOEFL iBT journey or aiming to boost your scores, TOEFL TestReady can help you get further, faster, with tailored study solutions for your skill level and goals.

Your Free TOEFL TestReady Account

Create or log in to your free account now to get instant access to your personalized, one-stop prep portal and explore all of the benefits TOEFL TestReady has to offer.

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Log in every day to challenge yourself with a free activity from one of the 4 test sections, such as a Reading passage and related questions. This activity rotates daily.

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Not sure when to start preparing for the TOEFL iBT test? Answer 5 short survey questions to generate a free interactive study plan to fit your schedule and help you stay organized, track your progress and focus on the skills you need to boost.

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  • Review and answer authentic test questions.
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  • Choose from volumes that include complete tests, half tests or speaking tests.

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Practice a section in test mode and receive a score, performance feedback and additional insights.

  • Receive estimated section score and CEFR level
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Section Practice

Practice a complete section at your own pace and receive immediate scores, feedback and insights to help you improve.

  • Reading and Listening: learn why your response was correct/ incorrect as well as why other response options were correct/incorrect.
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Boost your skills and confidence by focusing on sets of specific question types with immediate scores, feedback and insights.

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The Official Guide to the TOEFL iBT ® Test

This guide is a comprehensive, all-in-one reference to help you prepare for the test and get your best score. It is available in eBook and paperback formats and includes:

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Official TOEFL iBT ® Tests, Volumes 1 & 2

Get 10 authentic, full-length TOEFL iBT tests with previous test questions. Available in paperback or eBook formats, each volume offers five practice tests and includes:

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Learn about TOEFL iBT courses to help you prepare for your test.

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Build the skills you need to communicate in English in an academic environment with this self-paced course. With the 6-month subscription, you’ll be able to:

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With this free self-paced course, you can learn and practice whenever it’s most convenient for you. It includes:

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Feel confident on test day! The overwhelming majority of learners we surveyed reported that the new test prep offerings and features within TOEFL TestReady boosted their confidence, improved their skills and increased their readiness for the TOEFL iBT test 2 .

Curated Prep Recommendations

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Monitor your progress in real time with tracking of overall performance, section performance and question type performance. Your personal Insights page showcases your skill trends, as well as an estimated TOEFL iBT score and CEFR level to help you gauge your readiness.

1 Source: Statistics gathered from 765 users who also took the TOEFL iBT test (China, India, and the U.S.)

2 Source: Survey of 765 users across China, India and the U.S.

Partners in Fire

Partners in Fire

Powerful Tips To Lift Your Writing To the Next Level

Posted: September 23, 2023 | Last updated: September 23, 2023

<p><span>Most of us aren’t lucky enough to land <a href="https://partnersinfire.com/lifestyle/dream-job/" rel="noopener">dream jobs</a> or work in industries that align with our passions. Instead, we take jobs we don’t like and, if lucky, have a little free time to do what we love. </span></p><p><span>While scrolling through my favorite Reddit community, R/Askreddit, I stumbled upon a question seeking to discover why more people don’t follow their dreams. </span></p><p><span>The answers, though unsurprising, showcase some of the problems inherent in our current system. </span></p>

Everyone wants to write the next great American novel until they sit down and discover that writing is hard!

It takes a particular skill and mindset to craft an intriguing story and write in a way others will appreciate. On the plus side, it’s a skill anyone can learn. While scrolling through a fantastic writing community on Reddit, I found a great question asking writing enthusiasts to share the best advice they ever received on how to improve their writing. 

Use some of this advice to practice your craft and become a better writer. 

handwriting practice essays

Write Often

They say practice makes perfect, and the same is true for writing. The more you write, the better you will become. 

“ Get in the habit of writing as often as you can,” shared one user, adding, “you’ll get nothing done if you wait to be inspired.”

<p>Need more help being productive? <a href="https://partnersinfire.com/lifestyle/books-for-productivity/">Here are 11 of the top books on productivity to help you get more done</a>. </p>

To be a great author, you should learn from the greats (and not so greats.) Devour as many books as possible to taste different genres , writing styles, and techniques. Discover through reading what works and what doesn’t. 

“I got into a big writer’s block with all options and ideas. Reading really dug me out; I understood what I liked, what I didn’t, reminded me why I wanted to write,” admitted one commenter. 

<p><span>Holidays are ideal for learning about our history and culture. Take the opportunity to teach your kids about the pilgrims, natives, and the true story of Thanksgiving.</span></p><p><span>Don’t neglect the negatives as they do in school. Showing the whole story, warts and all, will help your kids understand the mistakes of the past and help them build a better future.</span></p>

Write What You Want to Read

“When I first started in writing, I took any gig I could to make ends meet, and rarely was I writing about something that interested me, and my god, could you tell,” explained one user. 

Although you have to do what you have to do to make ends meet, the best stories will be the ones you’re excited about writing. 

<p><span>Someone volunteered, “My faith in humanity.” Another agreed, “So true. Before, you just had a heavy suspicion that fools surrounded you. Now, you have the depressing certainty. It sucks.” </span></p><p><span>A third confessed, “Some dark corners of the internet make me really hate people. And I’d like to know if the internet ruined people or enabled us to see how terrible people are.”</span></p>

Don’t Judge Your First Draft

First drafts are drafts for a reason. They aren’t going to be good. “It should be really bad!” exclaimed one user, discussing the quality of first drafts. 

The user went on to give a great lesson for all aspiring writers that they heard elsewhere “Every first draft is perfect because the only purpose of a first draft is to exist,” they said, explaining, “if you wrote and finished a first draft, you did it perfectly.”

<p><span>Everyone wants a partner they can trust. Even white lies can spell doom for a budding relationship. </span></p><p><span>If you want a successful partnership, embrace honesty, even when it’s hard. The only things that you should ever lie about are surprises. </span></p>

Character Develop is Vital

Compelling characters are critical to a great story . “Flat characters are way too common these days, even in ‘professionally’ made stuff,” lamented one user. 

Others said you need to make your characters want something and make them change as the story develops. “In the end, make sure they have undergone some change,” advised one Redditor, “even if they didn’t get what they wanted.”

<p><span>There are lots of ways to</span><a href="https://partnersinfire.com/blog/10-awesome-ways-to-save-money-on-groceries/"><span> save money at the grocery store</span></a><span>. You can clip coupons, compare prices per unit, use the store’s loyalty program, and choose </span><a href="https://partnersinfire.com/lifestyle/5-things-to-never-buy-generic/"><span>generic offerings</span></a><span>. Limiting unhealthy snacks and skipping sugar-laden soft drinks will also save you a bundle – and are better for your overall health.</span></p><h3><b>Getting Help</b></h3><p><span>If you’re truly strapped, consider going to a food bank. Numerous charities offer food to households in need. However, please don’t use a <a href="https://partnersinfire.com/lifestyle/relationships/wife-leaves-husband-because-he-gets-groceries-at-the-food-bank/" rel="noopener">food bank if you can afford to buy your own groceries</a>. </span></p>

Understand When Inspiration Happens

One user shared words of wisdom from acclaimed author Madeleine L’Engle “Inspiration usually comes during work rather than before it.”

You need to start. It’s unlikely a random spark of inspiration will hit while you’re twiddling your thumbs, waiting for it. Get started, and you’ll be surprised by how quickly the words flow. 

<p><span>Sometimes it takes a conscious effort to make yourself productive. You must tell yourself what you will do and stop yourself from getting distracted.</span></p> <p><span>Here are ten things that will help you achieve that:</span></p>

How many stories have you started but not finished? “You don’t know what the story really is until you finish it.” shared one user. 

Don’t leave your stories hanging. You may discover a gem of an idea hidden in your initial story’s ending. 

<p><span>What’s a warning that everyone should heed? For example, don’t eat yellow snow. It’s basic. It’s stupid, but it’s accurate. After polling the internet, here are the top-voted warnings.</span></p>

Stop Caring About Politeness

One user shared a gem they picked up from Stephen King’s best-selling resource On Writing . 

“If you expect to succeed as a writer, rudeness should be the second-to-least of your concerns. The least of all should be polite society and what it expects. If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered, anyway,” King said in the book. 

When writing, you need to be truthful. You need to dig deep into the vast darkness of humanity and showcase what you’ve found, flaws and all. If you avoid the truth to appease the pearl cultures, you’ll never be successful as a writer. 

<p><span>Some writers try to mimic the popular stories of their time. How many aspiring writers attempted to emulate the success of works like </span><i><span>Harry Potter</span></i><span>, </span><i><span>Twilight</span></i><span>, and the </span><i><span>Hunger Games</span></i><span> to disappointing results?</span></p><p><span>“You’ll never make a splash by just doing what everyone else is doing,” advised one user, adding, “If you’re not passionate about something, then it usually shows in the writing.”</span></p><p><span>Write the story you want to write, regardless of current trends. Your passion for your story will shine through. </span></p>

Don’t Worry About What’s “Hot”

Some writers try to mimic the popular stories of their time. How many aspiring writers attempted to emulate the success of works like Harry Potter , Twilight , and the Hunger Games to disappointing results?

“You’ll never make a splash by just doing what everyone else is doing,” advised one user, adding, “If you’re not passionate about something, then it usually shows in the writing.”

Write the story you want to write, regardless of current trends. Your passion for your story will shine through. 

<p><span>Getting things perfect seems like a standard to strive for, but perfection has a downside. Some folks get so obsessed with perfection that they never finish anything. </span></p><p><span>Perfection is really the enemy of progress. </span></p>

Perfection is the Enemy of Progress

“Stop trying to make it perfect and just write!” exclaimed one user. 

Your writing will never be perfect. Nothing we do in life will be perfect. Perfect is an unachievable goal that gives people an excuse not to accomplish anything. 

Instead, just write. Write horribly at first. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you’re doing it. The more you do it, the better you will get at it. If writing is worth doing to you, it should be worth doing poorly . 

handwriting practice essays

Show, Don’t Tell

Show, don’t tell is one of the biggest rules of literature. One aspiring writer in the thread said it prevents them from writing a boring story and helps them expand their vocabulary. 

You don’t need to explain everything in a book. Show the reader what’s happening through action and dialogue, don’t describe it. 

<p><span>Homer wrote the Greek epics </span><i><span>The Odyssey</span></i><span> and the </span><i><span>Illiad</span></i><span>, while Sun Tzu authored </span><i><span>The Art of War</span></i><span>. </span></p><p><span>But is that true?</span></p><p><span>Reddit users claim there’s no historical record of either author outside these books, and most were compiled centuries after they supposedly lived. The works are likely compilations from various authors accredited to a single source. </span></p>

Use Flourish

Great authors use literary devices to enhance their writing and story telling. Try incorporating some of t hese 25 literary devices into your story . 

<p><span>Creative writing allows you to explore the world of your imagination. Put pen to paper and let the characters running around in your head come to life.</span></p> <p><span>Creative writing allows you to build worlds or make a statement about modern society. It lets you dig deep into your subconscious and unleash your inner dreams and desires.</span></p> <p><span>The best part about picking up creative writing as an artistic hobby is a cost. All you need is a pen and paper. If you need help developing ideas, you can use a <a href="https://partnersinfire.com/passion-fire-2/creative-writing-prompts/" rel="noopener">creative writing prompt</a> to get your juices flowing.</span></p>

Creative Writing Prompts

If you’re struggling to come up with a great tale, use a prompt to help. Creative writing prompts can spark your creativity . 

<p><span>Sometimes, we are so overwhelmed with everything in our heads that we can’t focus on the most critical task. We might need help to determine what that task is!</span></p> <p><span>A</span><a href="https://partnersinfire.com/lifestyle/brain-dump/"> <span>brain dump</span></a><span> can help. It’s a system of getting everything floating in your head out on paper. Getting your thoughts on paper will help you organize them and stay focused on what is essential. </span></p>

Write an Epic Rising Action Sequence

Rising action is the most important part of your plot. Here’s how to write it . 

<p>Literary elements are the building blocks to every story. <a href="https://partnersinfire.com/passion-fire-2/art/literary-elements/">Here’s how to excel at the basics</a>. </p>

Know the Basic Literary Elements

Literary elements are the building blocks to every story. Here’s how to excel at the basics . 

handwriting practice essays

The Most Compelling Characters in Fiction

Consider popular character archeotypes when writing your tale. Dungeons & Dragons chaotic neutral alignment makes great characters . 

<p><span>The internet is a fantastic source of knowledge and entertainment. It’s filled with resources to help you learn, create, and relax. </span></p> <p><span>The vastness of the internet has one shocking limitation: with so much content, it’s hard to find valuable resources online. Therefore, I was delighted to see a thread in my favorite Reddit sub, R/Askreddit, asking users to share their favorite fun, free internet resources. </span></p> <p><span>You may be shocked at how many cool things you could have gotten for free online!</span></p>

Writing is Tough, But Practice Makes Perfect

You can be a great writer. The Reddit thread is filled with advice to help you on your journey, but the most important thing you can do is start. 

Write that first chapter. Develop engaging characters. Revisit your story and revise your drafts. Before you know it, you will have a fantastic tale you’ll be proud to share.

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Former president Donald Trump (right) has asked special counsel Jack Smith (left) to keep his responses brief in a recent filing to a federal judge in Washington DC

Wisconsin 2020 fake elector reveals he was ‘scared to death’ of Trump losing state

This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022 shows documents seized during the Aug. 8 FBI search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. (Department of Justice via AP, File)

Trump pretrial motions due in Florida; fight over redactions continues

Bill Lyons, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, poses for a picture in front of American Legion Post 15 in Sumter

South Carolina veterans feel disrespected by Trump. Many will support him anyway

Chrome gets a built-in AI writing tool powered by Gemini

handwriting practice essays

Google Chrome is getting a new AI writing generator today. At its core, this Gemini-powered tool is essentially the existing “ Help me write ” feature from Gmail, but extended to the entire web and powered by one of Google’s latest Gemini AI models. The company first announced this new tool in January and it remains in its “experimental” phase, meaning you must explicitly enable it.

To get started, head to the Chrome settings menu and look for the “Experimental AI” page. From there, you can easily enable the new writing feature, as well as Google’s new automatic tab organizer (which I haven’t found particularly useful or smart so far) and the new Chrome theme manager). For now, the AI writer is only available in English on Windows, Mac and Linux. After that, right-click on any text field and select “Help me write.” You can use this to write something completely new and Gemini can also rewrite existing text.

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Image Credits: Google

If you’re subscribed to Gemini Advanced, this new tool will not give you access to an enhanced writing model, a Google spokesperson told us. It’s very much meant for short-form content like emails or support requests and a bigger model may not even be of much help there anyway.

One nifty feature here is that the tool will take into account the site you are on when it makes its recommendations “The tool will understand the context of the webpage you’re on to suggest relevant content,” Google engineering director Adriana Porter Felt writes in today’s announcement. “For example, if you’re writing a review for a pair of running shoes, Chrome will pull out key features from the product page that support your recommendation so it’s more valuable to potential shoppers.”

As with the ‘Help me write” feature in Gmail, it’s easy enough to change the length and tone of the results, too.

It’s important to note that the text, content and the URL of the page you are using the service on will be sent to Google under its existing privacy policy. Google explicitly notes that this information “is used to improve this feature, which includes generative model research and machine learning technologies,” which includes a review process with humans in the loop. Caveat scriptor.

handwriting practice essays

Google’s Duet AI can now write your emails for you

TOEFL iBT ® Test: Writing for an Academic Discussion

Video duration: 6:43

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Hi. I'm Michael from ETS, and welcome to Inside the TOEFL Test. Today, we're going inside the TOEFL IBT writing section-- specifically question 2, the writing for an academic discussion task.

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Map of the world.

So in the next few minutes, we're going to look at how the question is structured, how to approach the question, how your response is scored. We'll look at a sample response that received a high score, and will give you some tips for improving your writing skills.

So here's generally what the writing for an academic discussion task will look like. For this task, you're presented with an online academic discussion. A professor has posted a question about a topic, and some classmates have responded with their ideas. You have 10 minutes to type your own post that contributes to the discussion. There's no maximum length for your response, but a good response is usually at least 100 words.

So what is this task asking you to do? It's asking you to write an opinion in response to the professor's question. Your opinion should contribute to the discussion. It should be clear and cohesive, and it should be developed and well supported by reasons or examples.

Text, Approach Tips.

The best way to approach a response is to read the discussion carefully and then come up with one or two ideas you would like to contribute to the discussion. In this discussion, the professor is asking the class to think about important discoveries or inventions other than the computer or the cell phone. One student in the class, Paul, posts about space satellites and the various benefits they bring.

Another student, Lena, posts about advances in medical science, particularly the discovery of vitamins. And now it's your turn to provide your own contribution to the discussion. You could take some inspiration from one of the other posts and write about other advances in space technology or medical science, or something completely different, like how the invention of shipping containers made transporting goods around the world a lot cheaper, or anything else that comes to mind, like television, DNA, or plastics.

Start by introducing the invention, and then explain clearly why you think it is important, just as the professor has asked in the question. When you give your opinion, you may refer to one of the other student posts to agree or disagree, but make sure to use your own words and phrases. Don't just copy what the other students have written.

Scoring Criteria.

Before the test, make sure you understand what the raters are looking for and how each question is scored. Responses in the writing section will each be given an overall score from 0 to 5. For question 2, the writing for an academic discussion task, the raters are looking for three main things-- relevant and clearly developed ideas, variety in the use of language, and a correct use of language.

First, relevant and clearly developed ideas. The raters are looking for ideas that contribute to the discussion and are well supported by reasons and examples. If you just use a lot of words and sentences that are not well connected and do not support each other, or that don't add up to a clear point of view, or if you develop empty ideas, you'll receive a low score.

Second, variety in the use of language. The raters are looking for evidence that you can use a variety of structures and vocabulary. The variety should be natural and support your ideas. If you try to use varied structures of vocabulary without a good reason, that will not help you get a high score.

The third criterion is a correct use of language. It is important that your use of grammar is strong and consistent, that your word choices are correct and appropriate, and that your spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are correct. Your writing doesn't have to be absolutely perfect to get a top score, but the few small mistakes you may leave behind have to be typical of competent writers writing under timed conditions.

And don't try to create an answer by memorizing sentences or paragraphs on various topics before the test and then trying to relate them to the topic you receive, because the content won't be appropriate, and you'll just receive a low score.

You can see exactly how your responses are scored by looking at the writing for an academic discussion rubric, or scoring guide. The writing rubrics can be found on the TOEFL website.

e t s dot o r g slash t o e f l

Now, let's look at a sample response to give you an idea of what a good response looks like and what our raters look for when they score. This student wrote a response to the topic about inventions we discussed a minute ago. It received a score of 5 on a 5-point scale. The response is relevant and clearly expressed with good elaboration.

Santos was a major figure in the early history of flight and developed the first commercially viable airplane. There are some errors in mechanics, such as missing spaces after periods and not capitalizing Brazilian, and a few errors in prepositions and articles, like "any place of the world" and "a important invention," but these kinds of errors are to be expected from a competent writer under timed conditions.

Text, Skill Building Tips.

Now, here are some tips for improving your writing and getting ready for the writing for an academic discussion task. One, find articles in newspapers or on websites that express opinions. Read them and write about why you agree or disagree.

Two, elaborate on ideas as much as you can. Practice by thinking of different reasons why you feel a certain way about a topic, then provide plenty of supporting arguments and examples for each reason. Three, when you practice, you may find that you're making the same kinds of grammar mistakes over and over, so learn how to correct them. Then when you write, leave some time at the end to go back and revise to make those corrections.

Inside the TOEFL test.

There are lots of ways to improve your English skills. Whatever you do, keep practicing, and good luck on your TOEFL test.

For more information about the TOEFL i B T text and to register, visit the website at e t s dot org slash t o e f l Copyright 2023.

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Guest Essay

The Most Important Writing Exercise I’ve Ever Assigned

An illustration of several houses. One person walks away from a house with a second person isolated in a window.

By Rachel Kadish

Ms. Kadish is the author of the novel “The Weight of Ink.”

“Write down a phrase you find abhorrent — something you yourself would never say.”

My students looked startled, but they cooperated. They knew I wouldn’t collect this exercise; what they wrote would be private unless they chose to share it. All that was required of them was participation.

In silence they jotted down a few words. So far, so good. We hadn’t yet reached the hard request: Spend 10 minutes writing a monologue in the first person that’s spoken by a fictitious character who makes the upsetting statement. This portion typically elicits nervous glances. When that happens, I remind students that their statement doesn’t represent them and that speaking as if they’re someone else is a basic skill of fiction writers. The troubling statement, I explain, must appear in the monologue, and it shouldn’t be minimized, nor should students feel the need to forgive or account for it. What’s required is simply that somewhere in the monologue there be an instant — even a fleeting phrase — in which we can feel empathy for the speaker. Perhaps she’s sick with worry over an ill grandchild. Perhaps he’s haunted by a love he let slip away. Perhaps she’s sleepless over how to keep her business afloat and her employees paid. Done right, the exercise delivers a one-two punch: repugnance for a behavior or worldview coupled with recognition of shared humanity.

For more than two decades, I’ve taught versions of this fiction-writing exercise. I’ve used it in universities, middle schools and private workshops, with 7-year-olds and 70-year-olds. But in recent years openness to this exercise and to the imaginative leap it’s designed to teach has shrunk to a pinprick. As our country’s public conversation has gotten angrier, I’ve noticed that students’ approach to the exercise has become more brittle, regardless of whether students lean right or left.

Each semester, I wonder whether the aperture through which we allow empathy has so drastically narrowed as to foreclose a full view of our fellow human beings. Maybe there are times so contentious or so painful that people simply withdraw to their own silos. I’ve certainly felt that inward pull myself. There are times when a leap into someone else’s perspective feels impossible.

But leaping is the job of the writer, and there’s no point it doing it halfway. Good fiction pulls off a magic trick of absurd power: It makes us care. Responding to the travails of invented characters — Ahab or Amaranta, Sethe or Stevens, Zooey or Zorba — we might tear up or laugh, or our hearts might pound. As readers, we become invested in these people, which is very different from agreeing with or even liking them. In the best literature, characters are so vivid, complicated, contradictory and even maddening that we’ll follow them far from our preconceptions; sometimes we don’t return.

Unflinching empathy, which is the muscle the lesson is designed to exercise, is a prerequisite for literature strong enough to wrestle with the real world. On the page it allows us to spot signs of humanity; off the page it can teach us to start a conversation with the strangest of strangers, to thrive alongside difference. It can even affect those life-or-death choices we make instinctively in a crisis. This kind of empathy has nothing to do with being nice, and it’s not for the faint of heart.

Even within the safety of the page, it’s tempting to dodge empathy’s challenge, instead demonizing villains and idealizing heroes, but that’s when the needle on art’s moral compass goes inert. Then we’re navigating blind: confident that we know what the bad people look like and that they’re not us — and therefore we’re at no risk of error.

Our best writers, in contrast, portray humans in their full complexity. This is what Gish Jen is doing in the short story “Who’s Irish?” and Rohinton Mistry in the novel “A Fine Balance.” Line by line, these writers illuminate the inner worlds of characters who cause harm — which is not the same as forgiving them. No one would ever say that Toni Morrison forgives the character Cholly Breedlove, who rapes his daughter in “The Bluest Eye.” What Ms. Morrison accomplishes instead is the boldest act of moral and emotional understanding I’ve ever seen on the page.

In the classroom exercise, the upsetting phrases my students scribble might be personal (“You’ll never be a writer,” “You’re ugly”) or religious or political. Once a student wrote a phrase condemning abortion as another student across the table wrote a phrase defending it. Sometimes there are stereotypes, slurs — whatever the students choose to grapple with. Of course, it’s disturbing to step into the shoes of someone whose words or deeds repel us. Writing these monologues, my graduate students, who know what “first person” means, will dodge and write in third, with the distanced “he said” instead of “I said.”

But if they can withstand the challenges of first person, sometimes something happens. They emerge shaken and eager to expand on what they’ve written. I look up from tidying my notes to discover students lingering after dismissal with that alert expression that says the exercise made them feel something they needed to feel.

Over the years, as my students’ statements became more political and as jargon (“deplorables,” “snowflakes”) supplanted the language of personal experience, I adapted the exercise. Worrying that I’d been too sanguine about possible pitfalls, I made it entirely silent, so no student would have to hear another’s troubling statement or fear being judged for their own. Any students who wanted to share their monologues with me could stay after class rather than read to the group. Later, I added another caveat: If your troubling statement is so offensive, you can’t imagine the person who says it as a full human being, choose something less troubling. Next, I narrowed the parameters: No politics. The pandemic’s virtual classes made risk taking harder; I moved the exercise deeper into the semester so students would feel more at ease.

After one session, a student stayed behind in the virtual meeting room. She’d failed to include empathy in her monologue about a character whose politics she abhorred. Her omission bothered her. I was impressed by her honesty. She’d constructed a caricature and recognized it. Most of us don’t.

For years, I’ve quietly completed the exercise alongside my students. Some days nothing sparks. When it goes well, though, the experience is disquieting. The hard part, it turns out, isn’t the empathy itself but what follows: the annihilating notion that people whose fears or joys or humor I appreciate may themselves be indifferent to all my cherished conceptions of the world.

Then the 10-minute timer sounds, and I haul myself back to the business of the classroom — shaken by the vastness of the world but more curious about the people in it. I put my trust in that curiosity. What better choice does any of us have? And in the sanctuary of my classroom I keep trying, handing along what literature handed me: the small, sturdy magic trick any of us can work, as long as we’re willing to risk it.

Rachel Kadish is the author of the novel “The Weight of Ink.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , X and Threads .

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  27. Writing for an Academic Discussion Task Transcript

    Responses in the writing section will each be given an overall score from 0 to 5. For question 2, the writing for an academic discussion task, the raters are looking for three main things-- relevant and clearly developed ideas, variety in the use of language, and a correct use of language. First, relevant and clearly developed ideas.

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  29. Opinion

    For more than two decades, I've taught versions of this fiction-writing exercise. I've used it in universities, middle schools and private workshops, with 7-year-olds and 70-year-olds.