Handwriting paper generator

What this tool does

Makes blank handwriting paper for Pre-K through Grade 6. Two rulings. Dotted thirds gives you four lines and three zones: an ascender zone for b, d, h, k and l, an x-height zone for a, c and e, and a descender zone for g, j, p, q and y. The midline and the descender line are dashed, the baseline is solid and slightly heavier, and faint vertical guide boxes repeat across the row so children can judge letter width and word spacing. Those boxes are what make it dotted thirds rather than ordinary lined paper. Four-line ruling is the format used for pinyin, with a top space for tone marks. Line height and the gap between lines are both adjustable, so one tool covers 1 inch lines for Pre-K and 3/8 inch lines for older copy work. Exports at Letter, A4 or A5, in red, green or grayscale — grayscale is the safest choice on a school copier.

How to use it

1. 1
   Pick a ruling

   Dotted thirds for English handwriting. Four-line for pinyin, or when tone marks need the top space.

2. 2
   Set line height and spacing

   1″ for Pre-K, 3/4″ for kindergarten, 5/8″ for Grade 1, 1/2″ and below once they are writing smaller.

3. 3
   Add your header and print

   Type a title, switch on the name and date lines, then print at Actual size / 100%. “Fit to page” will shrink your lines.

FAQ

Why does my printed page come out smaller than the preview?

The print dialog defaults to “Fit to page”, which scales the sheet to your printer's margins. Choose “Actual size” or set scale to 100% and your 3/4″ lines will really be 3/4″.

What is the difference between dotted thirds and four-line ruling?

Dotted thirds uses four lines to make three zones: ascender, x-height and descender. The midline and descender line are dashed, the baseline is solid and slightly heavier, and vertical guide boxes repeat across each row. It is the standard in many UK and Australian classrooms. Four-line ruling divides the same band into three equal spaces and is the format used in pinyin workbooks, where the top space carries the tone mark.

What are the vertical guide boxes for?

They give a child a repeatable unit for letter width and word spacing. Without them, dotted thirds is just lined paper with a dashed line — the boxes are the part that teaches spacing, and you can turn them off or change their spacing here.

Why is the baseline darker than the other lines?

The thing children get wrong most often is where a letter sits. A slightly heavier baseline gives them an unambiguous floor, which teaches faster than four identical rules.

Do you store anything I type?

No. The page is drawn in your own browser and the header text never leaves your device. That is also why we do not ask for a class roster login.

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