Pre-Cursive Handwriting: What It Is And What The Exit Flicks Do
Pre-cursive handwriting is unjoined handwriting in which most letters end with a small upward exit flick. The letters start in the same places as print, but the flicks get children ready to join later. Watch a word change from print to pre-cursive to joined below.
On this page
- See The Exit Flicks In Any Word
- What Is Pre-Cursive Handwriting?
- Why Do Schools Describe Pre-Cursive Differently?
- Which Letters Have An Exit Flick?
- Why Do Schools Teach Pre-Cursive Handwriting?
- When Is Pre-Cursive Handwriting Taught?
- Where Can I Get Pre-Cursive Worksheets?
- Is Pre-Cursive The Same As Cursive?
- Questions About Pre-Cursive Handwriting
See The Exit Flicks In Any Word
See The Exit Flicks
What Is Pre-Cursive Handwriting?
Pre-cursive handwriting is a letter style in which each letter is written separately, but most letters finish with an exit flick that points towards the next letter. It sits between print and joined-up writing.
The order many schools follow is print first, then pre-cursive, then joined. The flick teaches the hand to finish each letter in the right place, and later the flick becomes the start of a join. Read about that step in joined-up handwriting.
Why Do Schools Describe Pre-Cursive Differently?
Sources use "pre-cursive" for three different styles, which is why sheets from different places do not match. The table sets them side by side.
| Meaning | What it looks like | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Exit flicks only | Print letters with a small flick at the end | Early Education and the National Handwriting Association describe it this way |
| Lead-in and lead-out | Every letter starts on the line and ends with a lead-out | Stanton St Quintin Primary School: "all letters start from the line and have a lead-in and lead-out line" |
| Slanted print | Print letters leaning slightly to the right | American worksheet sites such as WorksheetWorks |
Early Education would call the second style cursive, not pre-cursive, because it has entry strokes. The words overlap, so ask your school which it means.
This site uses the first meaning: print letters with exit flicks. Switch the style chip on the tool to see print, pre-cursive and joined versions of the same word.
Which Letters Have An Exit Flick?
Most letters that finish on the base line get an exit flick that rises up and to the right, ready for a diagonal join. Letters that finish at the top, such as v, w, x, f and r, join horizontally, so their exit strokes go across instead.
| Where the letter finishes | Examples | Exit stroke |
|---|---|---|
| On the base line | a, b, d, h, i, k, l, m, n, t, u | A small flick up and to the right |
| At the top | v, w, x, f, r | A stroke across, level with the middle line |
| Letters with tails | g, j, p, q, y | Depends on the scheme |
These groups come from the DfE writing framework's description of the diagonal and horizontal joins, which list v, w, x, f and r as the letters that join horizontally. How each scheme handles tail letters and capitals varies, so follow your school's model.
Why Do Schools Teach Pre-Cursive Handwriting?
Schools teach pre-cursive so that the exit flick becomes the first part of each join, which smooths the move to joined-up handwriting. Ruth Miskin's Read Write Inc. describes its approach as forming letters "that will flow into a joined style", with joining taught in later stages.
There is a fair debate. The case for and against, in brief:
- For: children practise the finishing movement early, so joins feel familiar when they arrive.
- Against: it adds a step. The DfE writing framework says there is no expectation that schools teach lead-ins for joined handwriting from the start, and that joining should wait until print letters are secure.
- Stronger words on the other side: Morrells Handwriting, a company that campaigns against the lead-in stroke, calls pre-cursive with a lead-in a "craze, fad, trend" that was never a statutory requirement.
We could not find a controlled study comparing children taught pre-cursive with children taught print first, so claims on both sides are best treated as views, not proven facts. The National Curriculum does not name a style, and it asks Year 2 pupils to start using diagonal and horizontal strokes to join.
When Is Pre-Cursive Handwriting Taught?
It depends on the school. One example: Stanton St Quintin Primary teaches print in Nursery and Reception, pre-cursive from Year 1, and joins in Year 2. Another school might go straight from print to joins.
The DfE writing framework says joined handwriting should not be taught until pupils form print letters "correctly and consistently". Whatever comes in between, the sequence is print first, joins after.
Where Can I Get Pre-Cursive Worksheets?
Make free pre-cursive worksheets with the worksheet generator: start dots, exit flicks and your year group's line size, in trace, fade and copy rows. Give them to children after the movement has been shown, and stay nearby while they write.
Is Pre-Cursive The Same As Cursive?
No. Pre-cursive letters are unjoined, while cursive handwriting joins the letters, and continuous cursive also adds a lead-in stroke to every letter. Pre-cursive is a step before joining, and cursive is the joined style.
Pre-Cursive, Cursive And Continuous Cursive
See cursive handwriting for the two cursive models and handwriting joins for the joins.
Questions About Pre-Cursive Handwriting
Is There A Pre-Cursive Font?
Yes. Free fonts named PreCursive exist, as do school fonts sold under licence. A font shows the finished shape but not the movement. See handwriting fonts for teachers.
Do Capital Letters Have Exit Flicks?
Capitals are usually not joined to the letters that follow. Whether they carry a flick depends on your school's model, so check its letter sheet.
Should Parents Teach Pre-Cursive At Home?
Follow your child's school. Stanton St Quintin, for example, tells parents of Reception children to use print and, from Year 1, to model pre-cursive using its guide sheet. Ask your child's teacher for the same.
Is Pre-Cursive Required In England?
No. The National Curriculum names no style, and the DfE writing framework says lead-ins are not expected. Each school chooses.