Touch Typing – Lesson 4 – The Shift Keys

Touch Typing: Learning to touch-type is one of the most valuable and frequently used skills you’ll ever learn.

Lesson 4: We will now introduce capitals in this lesson. Your keyboard has two shift keys, one to the left and one to the right. It may take a little bit more practice to get used to working these keys but after time they will come as second nature. When capitals are required, you must use the little finger of your inactive hand to operate one of the shift keys.

e.g. If you are to type a capital E, strike the E key with the index finger of your left hand and hold down the shift key with the little finger of your right hand.

Finger             Keys
Left Little –     Left Shift
Right Little–   Right Shift

Before you begin typing, ensure you are sitting in the correct position. You back must be straight and both feet flat on the floor or pedestal. Your wrists are slightly raised and are not resting on your desk.

Now with your fingers on the home keys type the following, using both hands on the correct keys:

Introducing the Shift Keys: Gag: HAL Flask Alaska as; Allah A hash; Hall Glass D S FDA jags SAA faga; Kafka Lass AD ha G L ; J H sass; Dad gas: ADA lad: Jaffa Dallas has; add; AS Jaffas flag: F Sad K AAA

Repeat each exercise at least three times, when you are confident you know these keys, move on to Lesson 5.

Typing Lesson 1 – The Home Keys
Typing Lesson 2 – The QWERTY Row
Typing Lesson 3 – The ZXCVB Row
Typing Lesson 4 – The Shift Keys
Typing Lesson 5 – The Numbers Row