Handwriting Lines Explained: Top Line, Midline and Baseline

The lines on the page

Most handwriting paper uses a set of guide lines so that letters keep a consistent height. Each line has a job.

Line size is measured from the top line down to the baseline, so a 1/2 in line means that distance is half an inch.

• Top line: the height that tall letters and capitals reach.
• Dashed midline: the height of short lowercase letters.
• Baseline: the line the letters sit on.
• Space below the baseline: where descenders such as g, j, p, q and y hang down.

How letters sit on the lines

Short letters like a, c, e, m and o fill the space between the midline and the baseline. Tall letters like b, d, h, k and l reach the top line.

In cursive, the connecting strokes also travel along the baseline, and loops on letters like l and f rise toward the top line and descenders drop below. In print, each letter stands alone, so the baseline matters most for keeping a row even.

Choosing a line size

Larger lines are friendlier for beginners because big letters are easier to shape and easier to see. As control improves, you can move to smaller lines, such as 3/4 in, 5/8 in, 1/2 in and eventually 3/8 in.

There is no single correct size for every writer. Let the writer's comfort guide the choice. If letters are crowded or poorly formed, go back up a size. If they look oversized and loose, try the next size down.

The worksheet generator on this site offers all five sizes so you can print the same text at different sizes and compare.

Printing tips

Line spacing only works if the printed page is true to size. A scaled-down page makes every line smaller than the label says.

Check the print dialog before you print.

• Set scale to 100 percent, not fit to page.
• Choose Letter for US paper or A4 if that is what your printer holds.
• Print one page first and measure a line with a ruler.
• Use plain paper and a dark enough print setting so the tracing letters are visible.