Why is small t shorter than small l?

In school print, small t starts a little below the top line, so it stands shorter than l, h and b, and its cross sits on the middle line. A child who makes it full height has still made a t. The cross in the right place is what makes it read.

Which words are on the T words sheet?

Six of these eleven, in a new mix each print: top, tie, tent, tree, tooth, train, truck, table, tiger, turtle and tomato.

Why are thumb and three not on the T sheet?

They start with th, which sounds nothing like t. Every word on the sheet starts with the t sound, so saying the picture's name gives your child the sound of the letter they are tracing.

Letter T worksheets for preschool, free printable PDF

Letter T worksheets

Letter T tracing worksheet for preschool, capital and small letter on penmanship guides — The picture follows the options you pick. Tap to see another version.

Letter T worksheets for ages three to five, in preschool or kindergarten. One sheet has capital T and small t as dotted outlines on alternate rows of penmanship guides. The other has six pictures, a tent or a train perhaps, with words to trace.

Free printable PDF worksheet.

One page for every letter

Each letter has its own page, with its strokes in words, its sounds and, for most letters, a sheet of words that start with it.

The words you'll trace

Say each picture's name. Listen for the first sound. Then trace the word beside it.

top
tie
tent
tree
tooth
train
truck
table
tiger
turtle
tomato

Every picture's name starts with the letter's sound, and beside it the word is printed as a dotted outline on a writing guide. The key page writes the words out in ink.

These are every picture the sheet has for this letter. Each print takes 6 of the 11, so the next sheet is a different mix.

What's on each sheet

Letter tracing. Trace the letter on each line. Then write it yourself on the rest of the line. 6 rows per page.
Words that start with the letter. Say each picture's name. Listen for the first sound. Then trace the word beside it. 6 of the 11 words, a new mix every time you print.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

Every other letter prints from one form on Preschool letter tracing.

How to teach this

Capital T is two straight lines, which makes it a good early letter. Pull a line straight down from the top line to the bottom. Lift the pencil and cross it along the top, left to right. Small t is shorter than a tall letter like l. Start a little below the top line, pull straight down to the bottom, then cross it on the middle line. Down first, then across, every time. The sound is a quick tap of the tongue behind the top teeth: t, not tuh. The words sheet leaves out thumb and three, because th is a sound of its own.

Watch for: Crossing first and pulling down second. The letter looks the same, but the habit gets in the way once letters start to join. Down, then across. Small t crossed at the very top, so it reads as a small capital T. Its cross sits on the middle line, and the stem pokes up above it.

Common questions about letter T

Why is small t shorter than small l?: In school print, small t starts a little below the top line, so it stands shorter than l, h and b, and its cross sits on the middle line. A child who makes it full height has still made a t. The cross in the right place is what makes it read.
Which words are on the T words sheet?: Six of these eleven, in a new mix each print: top, tie, tent, tree, tooth, train, truck, table, tiger, turtle and tomato.
Why are thumb and three not on the T sheet?: They start with th, which sounds nothing like t. Every word on the sheet starts with the t sound, so saying the picture's name gives your child the sound of the letter they are tracing.