Touch typing lesson 20: /, ?, :, ', "

Keys and finger movements

Keyboard layout: English US.

When characters share a key, use the same finger to reach it. Adding Shift or AltGr changes the character, not that finger's destination. Keep the reach familiar while you learn to coordinate the extra key; trying a different finger for every combination can make the position harder to remember.

• Right little finger: Move from ; to /, then return to ;.

+ means hold the keys together.

• ?: Shift + /
• :: Shift + ;
• ': '
• ": Shift + '

US and GB QWERTY place some punctuation differently. On US, @ is Shift + 2 and a double quote is Shift + '. On GB, @ is Shift + ' and a double quote is Shift + 2; £ is Shift + 3. Follow the selected layout rather than a shortcut learned on the other one.

If a key produces a different character, check that your system's input source matches this layout. On a Mac, Keyboard Viewer shows what Option and Shift produce; Command does not replace Option.

Special characters on the keyboard

Some special characters are on keys farther from the home row, such as the number row, so entering them can take extra practice. Depending on the character and keyboard layout, you may need to hold Shift or another modifier key while pressing its key. Numbers are common in banking and accounting; symbols and punctuation are also useful in everyday documents and programming.

For example, ";", "+" and "#" appear in programming languages, although their use depends on the language. Practicing special characters is useful even if you do not work in these professions. It extends touch typing practice beyond letters and numbers, helping you use more of the keyboard without looking at the keys.

These exercises let you practice reaching farther keys and using the required key combinations. How difficult a character is to enter depends on its position and the required key combination. Practice the symbols you use regularly to work on both speed and accuracy.

A pause before a symbol can have two causes: finding its key and coordinating the modifier. Work out which one is slowing you down. With a held modifier, press it just before the character key. With a dead key, release the accent key before the next keystroke. These are different movements, even when the resulting characters look similar.