Exercise book and writing paper
Guide · Updated 2026-09-04 · 2 min read
The ruled writing paper from school — evenly spaced lines with a red margin down the left — is still the most useful sheet for handwriting, copywork and everyday notes. Its details are chosen with care, and matching the ruling to the writer makes a real difference. This guide covers margins, line heights and when to add a midline.
What exercise-book paper is
Exercise-book paper is lined writing paper with one addition: a red rule down the left marking off a margin. The lines give a baseline to write on; the margin sets aside a column for the date, question numbers, or a teacher’s marks and corrections. It is the paper generations have learned to write on, and it remains the sensible default for schoolwork, copywork and letters. The exercise book generator produces it, with the margin position and line height adjustable.
The red margin’s job
The margin is not decoration. Keeping the first column clear does three things: it gives structure (dates and numbers line up in one place), it leaves room for feedback without writing over the work, and it stops text running into the binding on the left-hand page. Move it in for a wider note column or out for more writing space, depending on the use.
Choosing a line height
Line spacing should follow the writer’s hand, and it is the single setting most worth getting right:
- Wide lines (roughly 12–15 mm) suit young children still forming letters, where big movements are easier to control.
- Medium lines (about 8–9 mm) are the everyday school and adult default.
- Narrow lines (6–7 mm) suit confident, small handwriting and fit more on a page.
Set the height to match the age and hand rather than defaulting to one size for everyone.
The optional dashed midline
Turning on a dashed midline between each pair of baselines turns plain lined paper into a handwriting guide: lower-case letters fill the space up to the dashes, tall letters reach the line above, and tails drop below the baseline. It is the same three-zone idea covered in the guide to handwriting practice paper, and it makes the exercise book double as a practice sheet for print, cursive or lettering.
Exercise book, plain lined and Seyes
Three ruled papers overlap, and the differences are worth knowing. A plain lined sheet is just baselines — the minimum, for long-form writing. Exercise-book paper adds the red margin and an optional midline, for schoolwork and practice. French Seyes ruling goes further still, subdividing each line into finer rows for very disciplined letterforms. Pick the least structure that does the job, and print at true size (see the printing guide) so the line height is exactly what you set.