Typing lessons - Learn how to type

To learn how to type, it must be remembered that it is essential to master the QWERTY keyboard. This layout is prevalent in the world and cent percent consistent in the English speaking regions. As computers have become an indispensable part of modern lifestyle, learning how to type will obviously save a lot of effort and time. The additional burden of searching for the different keys will be relieved. After learning typing, it becomes possible to use the keyboard without looking at the keys.

Typing lessons
To learn typing, it is necessary to practice certain lessons. The index finger, middle finger, ring finger and the little finger are used for pressing various alphabets and numbers, while the thumb is used for the space bar.

Lesson 1
The middle row of the keyboard consists the alphabets A,S,D,F etc. The placement of the fingers is done as follows:

• left little finger on A
• left ring finger on S
• left middle finger on D
• left index finger on F
• no fingers on G and H
• right index finger on J
• right middle finger on K
• right ring finger on L
• right little finger on semi-colon and colon key

The fingers of the hand must always lie on these keys. The G key is typed by moving the left index finger and the H key by the right index finger. The spacebar is pressed using the right thumb. The F and J keys have a little bar like projection to enable the typist to locate these keys without looking at the keyboard.

Lesson 2
The third row contains the alphabets Q,W,E,R,T etc. The fingers from the home row are to be lifted and placed on these keys, in the following manner:

• left little finger on Q
• left ring finger on W
• left middle finger on E
• left index finger on R and T
right index finger on Y and U
• right middle finger on I
• right ring finger on O
• right little finger on P

This row is the most celebrated row on the keyboard. It includes four vowels.

Lesson 3
The first row of the keyboard includes the keys Z,X,C,V etc. These are used as follows:

• left little finger on Z
• left ring finger on X
• left middle finger on C
• left index finger on V and B
• right index finger on N and M
• right middle finger on , and < key
• right ring finger on . and < key
• right little finger on / and ? key

Many punctuation keys are covered in this lesson. Additionally, the left shift key is pressed using the left little finger and the right shift key using the right little finger. Pressing the shift key and a particular alphabet key will cause the alphabet to be typed in upper case.

Lesson 4
The fourth row, also called the number row, is tackled in this lesson.

• left little finger on 1
• left ring finger on 2
• left middle finger on 3
• left index finger on 4 and 5
• right index finger on 6 and 7
• right middle finger on 8
• right ring finger on 9
• right little finger on 0

Learning how to type
The online typing guide has various exercises included in each of the above lessons. For example, in the first lesson, the first exercise may be asdfg hjkl; and the second exercise may be ah had lag. It is very essential to begin from the first exercise of each lesson and practice each exercise till it is mastered. What is implied by mastering is that the keys should get pressed without being conscious of them and while looking at the computer screen.

Numeric keypad
Only the fingers of the right hand are used as follows:

• thumb on 0
• right index finger on 4
• right middle finger on 5
• right ring finger on 6
• right little finger on +

These keys are called the home keys. Other numeric keys are learnt in relation to these. The small projection on 5 is used as a guide to place the fingers.

How to type
Prior to starting practice, the following checklist must be observed.

• back of the body must be straight and vertical
• feet have to be flat on the floor
• elbows must be close to the body
• forearms have to be level
• wrists must be straight