Practice
Home Row Practice
Master the foundation of touch typing: A S D F J K L ;
Why the Home Row Matters
The home row — A S D F J K L ; — is the foundation of all touch typing. Your fingers rest here between every keystroke. Mastering home row means your hands always know where they are, which is what allows you to type fast without looking.
Home Row Keys by Finger
| Finger | Left hand key | Right hand key |
|---|---|---|
| Index | F | J |
| Middle | D | K |
| Ring | S | L |
| Pinky | A | ; |
| Thumb | Space bar | |
Practice Exercises
Start with simple repetition: asdf jkl; asdf jkl; until your fingers move automatically. Then practice common English words that use mainly home row letters: fall, half, glad, dark, hard, lads, ask, all, shall, gas, had, gal, flask, flash, flag, dash.
Common Mistakes
- Lifting fingers off the row. Your fingers should hover just above the keys, not rest far above them.
- Using the wrong finger. Always use the assigned finger for each key, even when it feels awkward.
- Not returning after reaching. When a finger reaches to another row, it should immediately return to its home key.
When to Move On
Once you can type home row words at 30+ WPM without looking, you're ready to start practicing the top row and bottom row. The home row will always be your anchor.
Ready to practice?
Put the technique into action with a typing test.
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