Home Row Keys – JSS1 Business Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

The home row keys are the keys on which the fingers rest when typing: A, S, D and F for the left hand and J, K, L and ; for the right hand. Each finger returns to its home key after striking another key. This note gives practical exercises for the home row keys and the other letters.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• place the fingers of both hands correctly on the home row keys;
• strike the home row keys and the space bar with the correct fingers;
• type G and H and return the finger to its home position;
• type the other letters of the keyboard with the fingers assigned to them;
• type capital letters with the shift key.

Practical exercises

Strike the keys as per the directions given in the following exercises.

Exercise 1: How do you place your fingers on the home row keys?

1. Place the little finger of the left hand on the key A and the other fingers in order on S, D and F.
2. Similarly, place the little finger of the right hand on the key ; and the other fingers in order on L, K and J. The fingers should be well bent at the second joint over these home keys, and the palms about 2 inches above the keyboard edge.
3. Strike the key A with the little finger of the left hand and allow the key to come up by itself. Then strike the key S with the same finger and allow the key to come up by itself. Similarly, strike D and F with finger numbers 2 and 1 respectively.
4. Strike ; with the little finger of the right hand.
5. Strike L, K and J respectively with fingers 3, 2 and 1 of the right hand.
6. Strike the space bar once with the right thumb.
7. Continue until you get perfection.

Asdf ;lkj asdf ;lkj asdf ;lkj asdf ;lkj

Exercise 2: How do you practise typing words?

• Type each group of 10 lines in single spacing and leave two line spaces between the groups.
• Each word should come beneath the other.
• Do not look at the keys or the screen.
• Repeat each group at least 10 times.

Asks adds lass fall alas lads all asks adds lass fall alas lads all fads lall dusk sad daskslak flask slak has.

Exercise 3: How do you type G and H?

1. Letters G and H are to be typed by the 1st fingers of the left hand and right hand respectively.
2. Lift the 1st finger of the left hand from key F and strike it on key G. Then return the finger to its original position. Do a similar exercise when striking key H.

asdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjhasdfjlkjh.

Type five lines in single spacing and leave two line spaces between each group.

Half slag glad hall slag lags flag dask

Half slag glad hall slag lags flag dask

Which fingers type the other letters?

Letters E and I

Letters E and I are typed by finger number 2 (the key finger) of the left and right hands respectively. After striking any key, your finger must come back to the home key immediately.

Dedkikdedkikdedkikdedkikdedkik

Sale sale-like a deal fall fish head feel.

Letters R and U

Both letters are typed by the 1st finger of each hand: the F key finger for R and the J key finger for U.

Frfjujfrfjujfrfjujfrfjujfrfjuj

Ride huge rude fire risk girl Duke.

Letters T and Y

They are typed with the 1st finger of each hand: the F key finger for T and the J key finger for Y. Come back to the home key after each stroke.

FtfjyjFtfjyjFtfjyjFtfjyjFtfjyjFtfjyj

Date Stay Pete lady year fury hurt.

Letters W and O

They are typed with the 3rd finger of the left and right hands respectively. Move the finger from S to key W, and move the finger on L similarly to strike O.

Swslolswslolswlolswlolswlolswlolswlol

Wait role what show flow goal wool.

Letters C and N

They are typed with the 1st finger. Move F to key C and J to key N.

Fcfjnjfcfjnjfcfjnjfcfjnjfcfjnj

Ring luck case sign lime lock

Letters Q and P

Type with the 4th or little finger (the A and ; fingers).

Aqa;p; aqa;p; aqa;p; aqa;p; aqa;p; aqa;p;

Post-type pole ripe hope quite.

Letters V and B

Strike with the 1st finger (the F and J fingers).

fvfjbjfvfjbjfvfjbjfvfjbjfvfjbjfvfjbjfvfjbj

Five very best line bond care.

Letters X and M

They are typed with the 2nd finger.

Dxdkmkdxdkmkdxdkmkdxdkmk

Game time mind taxi camp.

Letter Z

Letter Z is typed with the 3rd finger, while ; and “ are typed by the 3rd and 4th fingers of the right hand respectively.

Szsl,l; szsl,l; szsl,l; szsl,l; lazy size zeal.

How do you type capital letters?

Capital letters are typed by pressing the shift key. If the capital letter is typed with the left hand, press the right-hand shift key, and vice versa. When capital letters are required in succession, press the shift lock.

Acme June Ltd. Esq. Mr John, Ph.D.

Evaluation

1. Name the home row keys for the left hand and for the right hand.
2. Which finger strikes the space bar?
3. Which fingers type G and H?
4. Which fingers type Q and P?
5. Which shift key do you press to type a capital letter that is typed with the left hand?

Assignment

When you next have access to a keyboard, practise Exercise 2. Type the group ten times with each word beneath the other, without looking at the keys or the screen.