Week 3: Quotes and strings

In C, a string is text placed between double quotes, like "Hello". A single quote marks one character, like 'a'. Mixing the two up causes a compiler error, so the difference matters. This week you learn to type " and ' on the US English layout, and you learn to close every quote you open.

What you will learn

This week you learn two symbols on the US English layout:

• ": the apostrophe key with Shift. Press Shift with the opposite pinky, and press the key with your right pinky.
• ': the apostrophe key by itself. Press it with your right pinky.

Two short examples: "Hello" is a string, and 'a' is a single character. printf("Hello") is a call that prints text to the screen.

Technique tips

• Count your quotes. Each opening quote needs a closing quote on the same line, so check the pair before you move on.
• Spaces inside quotes are part of the text. C does not ignore them, so type them carefully.
• Keep your right pinky light. It reaches for both symbols, so bring it back to the home row right after each quote.
• Watch the text on the screen and check that the words sit between the quotes, not outside them.

Lessons

1. Lesson 1, learn (10 to 15 minutes): Watch the " and ' keys on the keyboard demo. Type each symbol five times.
2. Lesson 2, practice (10 to 15 minutes): Type short strings such as "Hello" and 'a'. Check that every opening quote has a matching closing quote.
3. Lesson 3, review (10 to 15 minutes): Take the two-minute test and type lines that contain quotes. Save your result and repeat the lines where you made mistakes.

This week’s goal

This week’s target is 13 WPM and 90% accuracy. Finishing the week’s lessons earns you 1 star. Reach 90% accuracy for 2 stars, and also reach 13 WPM for 3 stars. A missing quote breaks the lines after it, so accuracy comes before speed.