Free Handwriting Line Guides for Word: 15 Easy Printables
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Made by a teacherUK, US and Australia15 Word documentsFree
These free handwriting line guides give you 15 printable sheets as Word documents: extra-bold lines that show through plain paper, so children can write straight and keep letters the same size on cards, letters and best copies, in UK, US and Australian sizes. I’m Patrick Elliott, a teacher and Inclusion Lead. Line guides came from a trick I used for years: a bold guide sheet slid under plain paper, so children get the lines without them being printed on their final copy.
In this guide, you’ll find how to use line guides under paper, which size and layout to choose, and how to print them at their true size.
What’s in the Line Guides Templates
| Country | Design | Size | Age guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK (A4) | Handwriting Line Guide | 15 mm | Ages 4–6 (Reception and Year 1) |
| UK (A4) | Handwriting Line Guide | 12 mm | Ages 6–7 (Year 2) |
| UK (A4) | Handwriting Line Guide | 9 mm | Ages 8–10 (Years 4 and 5) |
| UK (A4) | Handwriting Line Guides, 2 per Page | 12 mm | Ages 6–7 (Year 2) |
| UK (A4) | Handwriting Line Guides, 2 per Page | 9 mm | Ages 8–10 (Years 4 and 5) |
| USA (US Letter) | Handwriting Line Guide | 3/4 in | Ages 5–6 (Kindergarten) |
| USA (US Letter) | Handwriting Line Guide | 5/8 in | Ages 6–7 (Grade 1) |
| USA (US Letter) | Handwriting Line Guide | 1/2 in | Ages 7–9 (Grades 2–3) |
| USA (US Letter) | Handwriting Line Guides, 2 per Page | 5/8 in | Ages 6–7 (Grade 1) |
| USA (US Letter) | Handwriting Line Guides, 2 per Page | 1/2 in | Ages 7–9 (Grades 2–3) |
| Australia (A4) | Handwriting Line Guide | 24 mm | Ages 5–6 (Foundation) |
| Australia (A4) | Handwriting Line Guide | 18 mm | Ages 6–8 (Years 1 and 2) |
| Australia (A4) | Handwriting Line Guide | 14 mm | Ages 8–10 (Years 3 and 4) |
| Australia (A4) | Handwriting Line Guides, 2 per Page | 18 mm | Ages 6–8 (Years 1 and 2) |
| Australia (A4) | Handwriting Line Guides, 2 per Page | 14 mm | Ages 8–10 (Years 3 and 4) |
How to Use Line Guides
- Print the guide at 100% and place it under a sheet of plain paper.
- Hold both sheets together with two paper clips so the guide cannot slide.
- Write on the top sheet, following the lines that show through.
- Laminate a guide or slip it into a plastic pocket so it lasts all year.
Full Page or Two per Page?
Use a full-page guide under A4 or US Letter paper. The two-per-page version prints two half-size guides on one page; cut along the dashed line to use them under smaller paper, cards and books.
How to Print at the Right Size
Print the guide on ordinary paper, then lay plain paper on top. Thin printer paper (80 gsm) lets the bold lines show through best.
FAQs
How do I use a handwriting line guide?
Put the guide under a sheet of plain paper, clip them together and write on the top sheet following the lines you can see.
Why use a guide instead of lined paper?
The finished work has no printed lines, which looks smart for displays, cards and best copies.
What are handwriting line guides?
Sheets with bold lines that you place under plain paper, so the lines show through and guide the writing without marking the final page.
Will the lines show through my paper?
They show through ordinary printer and copier paper. On thicker paper or card, hold the pages up to a window or a light box.
Why do the US guides look different?
They use the bold three-line US ruling, while the UK and Australian guides use dotted thirds, the style children see in their exercise books.
What paper works on top?
Plain 80 gsm printer paper; thicker paper or card hides the lines underneath.
Conclusion
These line guides turn any plain sheet into neat, even handwriting paper, human-made by a teacher and ready to print from Word.
Pick your country above, download the ZIP, and for paper with the lines printed on try the dotted thirds templates.
Related Tutorials
- Free Dotted Thirds Templates for Word
- Free Handwriting Paper Templates for Word
- Free Story Paper Templates for Word
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