If you want to learn typing and focus on the essence of learning how to type faster, using the touch typing functionality should be the best option you would want to focus on. In fact, touch typing makes it rather easy to type faster on a keyboard. The Home Row does play a major role in how to learn touch typing on a keyboard. So, what does the term home row mean? We will make an attempt at understanding the essence of Home Row and what are the uses of home row keys in this post. Contents
What Does the Term Home Row Mean on Keyboard?
The middle row on a keyboard is referred to as the Home Row on a keyboard. In fact, the Home Row is the base. It is exactly the location where your fingers come to rest when not typing anything. The technique of learning how to type faster on a keyboard will include memorizing or developing a muscle memory of the main keys that are located on the Home Row.
By definition, a home row will mean a row on the keyboard or a typewriter which consists of the keys that the fingers of both your hands come to rest or base. Under ideal conditions, this key will include the letters A, S, D, F, J, K, L, and semicolon.
What Are Home Row Keys?
Ideally, on a QWERTY keyboard, the home row keys will include the keys A, S, D, F, J, K, L, and also G and H. Depending on your keyboard layout, you will ideally find the home row consisting of a few additional keys such as Caps Lock on the left, and ENTER key on the right end. There would also be the other keys such as semicolon and comma on the home row.
If you are on a DVORAK keyboard, the Home row keys will include A, O, E, U, I, D, H, T, N, and S. In fact, on a QWERTY keyboard, you will have at least 9 letters, and on a DVORAK keyboard, the home row keys will number 10.
How to Position Fingers on Home Row Keys?
How can you position your fingers on the home row and what are the uses of home row keys? Well, Home Row keys can provide you an excellent option to learn how to learn a faster touch typing. In fact, when you learn typing from a computer typing institute or an online typing learning service, you will find that the first lesson you learn would be to learn how to master typing on the home row – which is also referred to as the middle row.
Why should fingers be placed on home row keys? Placing your fingers on the home row keys will ensure that you can learn faster typing. If you are wondering is home row the fastest way to type, we would answer in the positive. Since placing your fingers on the home row lets you have access to all the keys on the keyboard, this will invariably increase and enhance your typing speed to a considerable extent. In essence, mastering the home row keys can prove to be extremely easy and simple in learning a faster typing performance.
Learning the best Home Row typing ensures that you get access to all the nearby keys rather simply and easily. In fact, you would be able to type the keys faster enough without having to move your hand rather easily.
How Many Letters and Keys Are on the Home Row Keys?
The number of keys on the Home row on a keyboard will be dependent on the keyboard layout, language, and other parameters. If you are on a Qwerty Keyboard, there would be nine keys on the home row and they would include A, S, D, F, G, H, J, K, and L. On the other hand, a Dvorak keyboard will have ten letters and they would include A, O, E, U, I, D, H, T, N, and S.
What is the Number of Keys on a Home Row on Keyboard?
In case you count all the keys on the home row, there are a total of 13 keys if you are on the QWERTY keyboard. The keys on the home row will include Caps Lock key, semicolon and colon key, single quote and quote key, and the Enter key.
What Are the Top Row Keys?
Top row keys are the keys above the Hoe Row keys. If you are on a Qwerty keyboard, you would find 10 letter keys for your left and right hands.
If you are on a QWERTY US keyboard, the top row keys will include Q, W, E, R, and T keys for the left hand and Y, U, I, O, and P keys for the right hand. The top row keys are sometimes referred to as the First Row keys as well. While they may not physically be the first row of keys In the case of a DVORAK keyboard, you will find the top row keys to include ?, <, >, P, and Y keys on the left side, and the F, G, C, R, and L keys on the right hand.
The total number of keys on the top row would include Tab key, Q, W, E, R, T, Y, U, I, O, and P, open curly bracket ({) and open square bracket ([), close curly bracket (}) and close square bracket, and then pipe (|) and backslash (\) key.
What Are the Bottom Row Keys?
The bottom row keys refer to the ten keys located below the Home Row keys. You should ideally find ten keys on the bottom row keys on a QWERTY keyboard. The actual number of keys will be dependent on the keyboard language and keyboard layout you may be using.
If you are using a QWERTY US keyboard, the bottom row keys will include Z, X, C, V, and B keys for the left hand and N, M, comma, period, and forward slash keys for the right hand. On a DVORAK keyboard, the bottom row keys will include Q, J, K, and X keys with the left hand, and B, M, W, V, and Z keys with the right hand.
The bottom row keys on a QWERTY keyboard can include the Left Shift key, Z, X, C, V, B, N, and M, Less than (<) and comma (,) key, Greater than (>) and period (.) key, Question mark (?) and forward slash (/) key and Right Shift key.
The Closing Thoughts
Well, that should provide you enough information on what does the term Home Row mean on keyboards. Understanding how to make use of the Home row keys can be helpful in understanding the concept better. That way, you will be able to begin and learn faster typing.
FAQs
What Key is the Leftmost Key on the Home Row?
The leftmost key on the Home row is Quote/Double Quote key.
The Home Row Begins With Which Key?
Home Row actually begins with the letter A. However, in most of the keyboards, you will find the Caps Lock key as the first key on the Home Row key.
Why Are They Called Home Row Keys?
Typists are usually trained to keep their fingers on these keys when idle. That is the reason why these keys are called Home Row Keys.
