Week 10: Numbers: left hand

This week you start the number row. The numbers 1 through 5 are typed with your left hand. The number row sits above the top row, so your fingers reach up in short, controlled movements rather than long stretches. You will also learn the Shift symbols on these keys: the exclamation mark, the quotation mark, the caret, the dollar sign and the percent sign.

What you will learn

Five new keys and their fingers:

• 1 (Shift gives !): left pinky
• 2 (Shift gives "): left ring
• 3 (Shift gives ^): left middle
• 4 (Shift gives $): left index
• 5 (Shift gives %): left index

These numbers are typed with the left hand, so Shift is pressed with the right pinky, the pinky of the opposite hand. Both 4 and 5 are on the left index finger, so move between them slowly and evenly.

Technique tips

• When you reach up to the numbers, keep your left hand close to the home position. The finger rises and then returns.
• Use the left pinky and left ring finger independently for 1 and 2. Keep the neighboring fingers still.
• Hold Shift with the right pinky, press the number with the left hand, then release both together.
• For 4 and 5, keep the movement of the left index finger small. Tell the two apart by the direction of the finger.
• Look at the screen. Do not lean toward the keyboard to find the numbers. Focus on sensing where your finger is.

Lessons

1. Lesson 1 (10-15 minutes): Learn the new keys. Watch the keyboard demo, follow the left hand on the number row, and type each number once without Shift and once with Shift.
2. Lesson 2 (10-15 minutes): Practice. Type short sequences of numbers and simple text that use the left hand’s numbers.
3. Lesson 3 (10-15 minutes): Review and take the 2-minute test. Find the numbers you typed wrong and practice those in a separate round.

This week’s goal

Your targets are 26 WPM and 93% accuracy. Finishing the lessons earns 1 star. Reaching the accuracy target earns 2 stars, and reaching the speed target in the closing test earns 3 stars. Numbers take time to feel natural. Get the right number first, then work on speed.