Right Shift: capitals on the left hand

A capital letter is not one key but two: the letter, and a Shift held down while it is pressed. There are two Shift keys, one at each end of the bottom row, and the rule for choosing is simple and absolute. The Shift is pressed by the hand that is not typing the letter. A capital T, which the left index finger types, gets the right Shift. A capital J gets the left Shift. Never the same hand, because a hand cannot hold Shift with its little finger and reach a letter with another finger without twisting off the home row.

This lesson takes the right Shift, held down by the right little finger, paired with every letter the left hand types: Q, W, E, R, T, A, S, D, F, G, Z, X, C, V and B. The motion is: right little finger down onto Shift and hold, left hand types the letter, right little finger releases and returns to the semicolon. Hold, press, release. The order matters. If the Shift is released before the letter lands, you get a lowercase letter.

On the keyboard below, when a capital is coming up the board lights both keys, and the resting hand shows its Shift. That is the picture to copy. Capitals are where a lot of typists develop a same-hand habit that costs them speed for years, so it is worth being strict with yourself for the next two lessons.

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