Touch typing lesson 4: d→e, k→i

Keys and finger movements

Keyboard layout: English US.

Move the middle fingers from the home row to the row above. Make a short reach and return; avoid sliding both hands forward just to find these keys.

• Left middle finger: Move from D to E, then return to D.
• Right middle finger: Move from K to I, then return to K.

Keyboard layouts

Keyboard layouts affect how you type, and while several different layouts are available, mastering one is often sufficient. Layouts such as QWERTY, QWERTZ, and AZERTY differ in the placement of letters as well as symbols like |, >, or \. Whether you use a keyboard with a tall Enter key spanning two rows (the home row and the one above) or a typical US keyboard with a horizontal Enter key about two ordinary keys wide, choose a layout that suits you.

Switching between layouts, e.g., having a different one at home and work or a different one on a laptop and desktop, may lead you to make typos and slow down your typing. Check which language-specific layouts are available when ordering a computer; Apple keyboards, for example, come in different language versions.

What matters is using the correct fingers to press the corresponding keys, no matter your keyboard layout. While learning, it is better to look at the keyboard and press each key with the designated finger than to type without looking and repeatedly press the wrong keys. The aim is to learn to type efficiently and accurately without looking, using the layout you have chosen.

If @ appears where you expected a double quote, check US versus GB in both the system settings and AgileFingers.