ruledpage

Ruled page, also known as lined paper, is a sheet printed with horizontal lines at regular intervals to guide handwriting and alignment. The ruling helps users write characters on a consistent baseline and maintain even spacing. Ruled pages are a standard feature of many notebooks, composition books, and legal pads, and may include a vertical margin line on the left for notes or numbering.

Ruling patterns vary by region and purpose. Common formats include wide-ruled (larger spacing, often used for early education), college-ruled or regular-ruled (more lines per inch), and narrow-ruled. Some pages include center lines for writing math or poetry, or double lines to indicate a writing area. The lines are typically blue or gray and may be faint to minimize glare. Ruled pages may be bound in notebooks, loose-leaf sheets, or part of forms and ledgers. The choice of line color and paper quality can affect readability and comfort for different writing instruments, including pencils, ballpoints, and fountain pens.

History and usage: ruled paper became widely available with the rise of mass-produced stationery in the 19th century and has since become a staple in educational systems and professional settings for drafting, note-taking, and record-keeping.

Digital equivalents: many word processors and note-taking apps offer ruled- or notebook-style templates that mimic lined paper, with adjustable line spacing, margins, and colors. These digital ruled pages serve similar functions for handwriting practice, journaling, or drafting on screens.

See also:

- Lined paper

- Notebooks

- Graph paper

- Legal pad