Printables / 02
Printable Lined Paper
Print lined paper in wide, college, or narrow ruling, four-line handwriting paper, Chinese character practice grids (田字格 and 米字格), or music staff paper, on A4 or Letter.
Printable Lined Paper: Lines are drawn at the standard US spacings: wide ruled 11/32 inch (8.7 mm), college ruled 9/32 inch (7.1 mm), and narrow ruled 1/4 inch (6.4 mm), with a red margin line 1¼ inches from the left edge. Handwriting paper gives each row four lines with a dashed middle line; character grids divide each square with dashed guides. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
- Category
- School & study tools
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- In your browser
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- Free · no sign-up
- Availability
- Ready to use
Runs entirely in your browser
Print at 100% (actual size), not fit to page, for the spacing to measure exactly.
Ruling sizes
In the United States, notebook paper comes in three standard rulings: wide ruled at 11/32 inch (8.7 mm) between lines, college ruled at 9/32 inch (7.1 mm), and narrow ruled at 1/4 inch (6.4 mm), with a vertical margin line about 1¼ inches from the left. Wide ruling is usual in primary school, college ruling for older students and adults, and narrow ruling for small handwriting and dense notes.
The page leaves two lines' worth of space at the top for a name and date, as notebook paper does.
Practice papers
Handwriting paper gives each row four lines: x-height letters such as a, c, and o sit between the dashed middle line and the baseline, ascenders reach the top line, and descenders drop to the bottom one. It is used to learn letter proportions in English and other languages written in Latin letters.
For Chinese, each character is practised in its own square. In a 田字格 (tián zì gé) the square is quartered by a dashed cross; a 米字格 (mǐ zì gé) adds the diagonals, which help with slanting strokes. Music staff paper has staves of five lines for writing notes by hand. For squared paper, see graph paper.
How to use it
- Choose the ruling: wide, college, or narrow, handwriting practice, character squares, or music staves.
- Pick the colour and paper size, and whether you want a margin line.
- Download the PDF or print at 100% scale.
Privacy & limitations
The paper is made in your browser; nothing is uploaded. Your last settings are remembered in this browser.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between wide and college ruled?
Wide ruled lines are 11/32 inch (8.7 mm) apart, giving room for larger handwriting, and are common in primary school. College ruled lines are 9/32 inch (7.1 mm) apart, the usual choice for notes at secondary school and university.
How do I use handwriting paper?
Each row has four lines. Small letters such as a and o sit between the dashed middle line and the solid baseline; tall letters such as b and h reach the top line, and the tails of g and y drop to the bottom line.
What are 田字格 and 米字格?
Practice squares for writing Chinese characters. A 田字格 square is divided into four by a dashed cross, and a 米字格 adds the two diagonals, helping learners place and balance each stroke.
Why do the lines print closer together than they should?
The page was scaled to fit. Print at Actual size or 100%, not Fit to page, to keep the standard spacing.
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