Typing lesson 3 of 17
Typing lesson 3: E and I
E and I are typed by your middle fingers: the left one reaches up from D to E, and the right one up from K to I. With them, 163 words in the word bank use only the letters so far, up from 25.
Keys and fingers
- Pinky
- Ring finger
- Middle finger
- Index finger
- Thumbs (space bar)
- Pale: keys from earlier lessons
- Outlined: home keys
| Key | Finger | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| E | Left middle finger | Up from D |
| I | Right middle finger | Up from K |
How to practice
- Reach up, then come home. Lift the middle finger to E or I, tap, and bring it back to D or K before the next key.
- Keep the others down. The index finger stays on its bump while the middle finger reaches, so the hand never loses its place.
- Mind the slant. The rows are staggered, so E sits up and a little to the left of D, and I up and a little to the left of K.
- Learn the pair together. Both middle fingers make the same move, one on each hand, so practicing one teaches the other.
Practice words
163 words in the word bank use only the letters so far, and 138 of them have E or I. The 40 most common:
- is
- he
- his
- if
- like
- she
- see
- said
- did
- life
- high
- feel
- head
- side
- less
- else
- idea
- age
- deal
- asked
- kids
- self
- field
- held
- killed
- died
- lead
- dead
- added
- led
- kill
- legal
- die
- safe
- sea
- sales
- ahead
- hi
- kid
- sale
A round of this lesson, as the trainer writes it for a new typist. Each round draws new words, most of them with the new keys:
selfish lakes killed if idea life fill see fee aside laid hide asked sealed dig feed diseases life see aged
Common mistakes
- E and I mixed up. They’re the same finger on opposite hands. If you get one for the other, the wrong hand moved first: slow down at the start of the word.
- Landing next door. A reach that drifts lands on W or R instead of E, or U or O instead of I. Reach up from the home key, a short distance.
- The index finger taking over. Typing E with an index finger pulls the hand off the home row, and the next home key comes out wrong.
- Staying up. A finger that stays on E or I after the reach makes the next D or K a miss. Come back every time.
Frequently asked questions
Which finger types E and I?
Your middle fingers. The left middle finger types E, up from its home key D, and the right middle finger types I, up from K.
Why are E and I a pair?
They are typed by the same finger on each hand, making the same reach up from the home row. The lessons pair keys like this where they can, so each lesson trains one motion on both hands.
How do I pass lesson 3?
Type a round at 95% accuracy or better in which both E and I were typed right at least once. A lesson round is at most 30 words, and you can try again as often as you like: start lesson 3.
What comes after lesson 3?
Lesson 4 adds R and U. Once you pass lesson 3, the next round starts it, and you can go back to any lesson whenever you like.
