Home Row with Capitals

Welcome back! In this lesson, you will take your typing skills to the next level by practicing the home row and learning how to type capital letters using the Shift keys. Mastering these skills is important for both speed and accuracy. Being able to type capital letters smoothly is a key part of professional and everyday typing. By the end of this lesson, you will know how to use both Shift keys correctly and type words that mix lowercase and capital letters with confidence.

Let’s start with a quick reminder. In previous lessons, you learned about the home row and how to place your fingers in the home position. Remember, your fingers should rest on these keys:

Your index fingers should always return to the F and J keys, which usually have small bumps to help you find them without looking. Staying anchored in this position helps you type faster and with fewer mistakes.

Now, let’s talk about capital letters. To type a capital letter, you need to hold down one of the Shift keys while pressing the letter you want to capitalize. There are two Shift keys on your keyboard: one on the left and one on the right.

Which Shift key should you use?

• Use the left Shift key when typing a letter with your right hand.
• Use the right Shift key when typing a letter with your left hand.

This way, your hands work together, and you avoid awkward stretching. Most people only use the left Shift, which lowers their typing speed significantly!

Example 1:
To type a capital F:

• Hold down the right Shift key with your right pinky.
• Press the F key with your left index finger.

Example 2:
To type a capital J:

• Hold down the left Shift key with your left pinky.
• Press the J key with your right index finger.

This method keeps your hands balanced and helps you type capital letters quickly and accurately.

In this lesson, you learned how to type capital letters using the Shift keys. You practiced which Shift key to use with each hand. Remember, accuracy is more important than speed at this stage. Focus on using the correct fingers and Shift keys.

Next, you will get a chance to practice these skills in the exercises. Take your time and pay attention to your finger placement. With practice, you will become faster and more confident in your typing. Good luck!