How to make handwriting practice sheets
This page is for teachers, parents and tutors making practice sheets, and for adults improving their own handwriting.
- Choose the line height. This is the distance from the top line to the baseline; the dashed midline is always halfway. Inch sizes run from 3/8 in to 1 1/8 in, metric sizes from 10 mm to 24 mm, and Custom size takes anything from 6 to 40 mm.
- Add a descender line if you want one. A dotted line under each row shows how far the tails of g, j, p, q and y should go. It adds a little more space between rows.
- Type words to trace (optional). They print in light dotted outline or light gray on every other row, every row, or the first rows only, for copying underneath.
- Keep the name and date lines for classwork, add a title such as the letter of the week, then select Download PDF and print at Actual size (100%).
Handwriting line heights
Every size on this page, with the number of rows on a portrait page with the standard 1/2 in (12.7 mm) margins and the name and date lines, exactly as the PDF draws it:
| Top line to baseline | Midline below the top | In PDF points | Rows on US Letter | Rows on A4 | A4 with descender line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 1/8 in (28.58 mm) | 9/16 in (14.29 mm) | 81 pt | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| 1 in (25.4 mm) | 1/2 in (12.7 mm) | 72 pt | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| 3/4 in (19.05 mm) | 3/8 in (9.53 mm) | 54 pt | 8 | 9 | 7 |
| 5/8 in (15.88 mm) | 5/16 in (7.94 mm) | 45 pt | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| 1/2 in (12.7 mm) | 1/4 in (6.35 mm) | 36 pt | 12 | 13 | 11 |
| 3/8 in (9.53 mm) | 3/16 in (4.76 mm) | 27 pt | 16 | 17 | 15 |
| 24 mm (0.945 in) | 12 mm (0.472 in) | 68.03 pt | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| 20 mm (0.787 in) | 10 mm (0.394 in) | 56.69 pt | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| 16 mm (0.63 in) | 8 mm (0.315 in) | 45.35 pt | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| 12 mm (0.472 in) | 6 mm (0.236 in) | 34.02 pt | 13 | 14 | 12 |
| 10 mm (0.394 in) | 5 mm (0.197 in) | 28.35 pt | 15 | 17 | 14 |
Between rows there is a skip space half the line height (three quarters with the descender line), so a 1/2 in row is 1/2 in tall with a 1/4 in midline and a 1/4 in gap. US school handwriting papers are sold in the same proportions: one paper maker lists sheets ruled 1/2 in x 1/4 in x 1/4 in, 5/8 in x 5/16 in x 5/16 in, and 1 1/8 in. The bigger the row, the more room for large, early letters; as writing gets smaller and steadier, move down a size.
We do not say which size suits which grade, because schools and handwriting programs differ. If your school sends home its own paper, measure from the top line to the baseline and choose the nearest size, or type the exact size under Custom size.
Tracing words: a handwriting worksheet generator
Type a letter, a name, spelling words or a short sentence into Words to trace, up to 120 characters. Long text wraps onto the next practice rows. The letters are set so that small letters such as a, c and e fill exactly the space from the baseline to the dashed midline; tall letters and capitals reach about 67% of the way to the top line.
- Dotted outline draws the edge of each letter as a dotted line to trace over.
- Light gray prints solid pale letters, which are easier to see for beginners.
- Every other row gives a traced row and then a blank row to copy it freehand; first rows only gives one model at the top and the rest of the page for practice.
The tracing letters use Geist, a clear print typeface, not a school handwriting model, so some letters (such as a and g) may look different from the shapes your school teaches. Use the sheet for spacing, size and practice, and follow your school's letter shapes.
A4 handwriting paper and other sizes
Choose A4 for school paper outside the US and Canada, and a metric line height such as 16 mm, which is close to 5/8 in. Landscape gives longer rows for sentences; A5 makes a small booklet page. For older students and adults practicing joined or neat handwriting, a 10 mm or 3/8 in row with the descender line works well, or move on to wide ruled lined paper.
How to print it true to size
The handwriting paper is drawn as a vector PDF at exactly the size you choose. An inch is exactly 25.4 mm, and the PDF measures everything in points of exactly 1/72 inch, so 1 mm is 72 / 25.4 points. The spacing is worked out for every line from the top of the sheet, not added up step by step, so no rounding builds up down the page.
Your printer can still change the size. To keep it exact:
- Choose the same paper in the print dialog as on this page (for example A4 or US Letter).
- Set the scale to 100% or Actual size. Turn off "Fit to page", "Shrink oversized pages" and "Scale to fit". Adobe's help says Fit reduces or enlarges each page to fit the printable area, which changes the spacing.
- Measure the check-ruler. At the bottom of every sheet there is a printed scale of exactly 5 cm, or 2 in for inch sizes. Lay a ruler along it. If it measures 5 cm (or 2 in), every line on the sheet is true to size. If it is shorter, the printer shrank the page; print again at 100%.
The PDF also asks your viewer to print without scaling, though not every viewer follows that setting. Most home printers cannot print right to the edge of the paper, so the standard margin is 1/2 in (12.7 mm). The narrow 1/4 in (6.35 mm) margin may be clipped by some printers.
Questions and answers
What are the three lines on handwriting paper called?
The solid top line, the dashed midline and the solid baseline. Letters sit on the baseline; small letters reach the midline; tall letters and capitals reach the top line. Tails of letters such as g and y go below the baseline, down toward the optional descender line.
What size handwriting paper should a beginner use?
Beginners usually start with large rows, such as 1 in or 5/8 in from the top line to the baseline, and move to 1/2 in and smaller as their letters get smaller and steadier. Schools differ, so follow your school if it has a set size.
Can I make my own tracing worksheet?
Yes. Type the words into Words to trace and choose dotted outline or light gray letters. They print on the practice rows with blank rows to copy them, and the preview shows the page before you download it.
Is there handwriting paper for adults?
Yes. Choose a smaller row, such as 10 mm or 3/8 in, with the descender line, and leave the name and date lines off for a plain practice sheet.
Why is my printout smaller than it should be?
The printer or PDF viewer scaled the page to fit, usually because "Fit to page" or "Shrink to fit" was on. Print again with the scale set to 100% or Actual size, and with the same paper size selected as on this page. The 5 cm (or 2 in) check-ruler at the bottom of the sheet shows straight away whether it worked.
Is anything I type saved or uploaded?
No. The paper and the PDF are made in your browser on your own device. Your options and any text you type are not saved or sent, so if you reload the page you start again from the defaults.
Can I copy, share or sell these sheets?
Yes. You can print, copy and share them for home, school and work. You may also sell printed copies or the PDFs, as long as the print.dexaloop.com credit line at the foot of each page stays on it, unchanged and readable. The Terms page has the details.
Sources
Checked on 13 October 2026. If a size has changed, please tell us.
- Quill: school handwriting papers ruled 1/2 in x 1/4 in x 1/4 in, 5/8 in x 5/16 in x 5/16 in and 1 1/8 in (listing titles)
- Wikipedia: Ruled paper (handwriting paper with a dotted middle line in each three-line set)
- NIST: Revised unit conversion factors (the international foot is exactly 0.3048 m, so an inch is exactly 25.4 mm)
- Adobe Help: Page size and scaling when printing PDFs