Printable lined paper

Wide, college or narrow: how many lines you get

Ruled paper is named for the distance between its lines. The table counts the lines on one page with a 1/4 inch margin, computed with the same layout the tool uses. A4 is a little taller than Letter, so it fits a line or two more.

Ruling	Line spacing	Lines on Letter	Lines on A4	Usually for
Wide ruled	11/32 in (8.7 mm)	30	32	Grades 1–4, larger handwriting
College ruled	9/32 in (7.1 mm)	37	39	Middle school up, most adults
Narrow ruled	1/4 in (6.35 mm)	42	44	Small handwriting, dense notes

If you are matching paper a teacher handed out, measure from one line to the line ten below it and divide by ten. About 3.4 inches means wide ruled; about 2.8 inches means college ruled.

Uses beyond the notebook

Printed lined paper is handy when the notebook runs out the night before an assignment is due, for letters and thank-you notes, for copywork and spelling practice, and for worksheets you write by hand. Teachers print class sets with the name and date line turned on, so every page comes back labeled. For essays that will be read by someone else, college ruling with the margin line looks the most familiar.

For students still learning to form letters, handwriting paper works better: choose Handwriting in the paper type above for a solid top line, a dashed midline and a baseline, with a gap between each writing line. Very young writers start with 1 inch lines and move down to 1/2 inch by about third grade.

Printing tips

Print at actual size rather than "fit to page", or the spacing shrinks slightly. Use the paper size that matches your printer tray, and print double-sided if your printer supports it: the margin line ends up on the left of the front and the right of the back, like a real filler page. To punch holes for a binder, keep the margin line on and leave the default 1/4 inch border.

Need a grid instead? Try graph paper for math and plans, dot grid paper for journals, or a printable calendar to plan the term.