Typing lesson 2 of 17
Typing lesson 2: G and H
G and H are the two keys between your index fingers on the home row. Your left index finger reaches one key right from F to type G, your right index finger one key left from J to type H, and each comes straight back.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| G | Left index finger | One key right of F |
| H | Right index finger | One key left of J |
How to practice
- Reach with the index finger alone. The other fingers stay on their home keys while it slides sideways.
- Come straight back. After G, the left index finger returns to the bump on F; after H, the right one returns to J.
- Keep the reach small. It’s one key over: slide, tap and return.
Practice words
25 words in the word bank use only the letters so far, and 12 of them have G or H. Here they are, most common first:
- has
- had
- half
- shall
- gas
- glad
- hall
- glass
- flag
- flash
- ash
- flags
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:
hall flags flag flash had flags adds flash hall glad ash glad flag has had all ash gas half gas
Common mistakes
- G and H swapped. They’re the same finger on opposite hands, so if the wrong hand moves first you get one for the other. The trainer counts these as other-hand slips and lists them on your habits page.
- Moving the whole hand. If the hand lifts to reach, the other fingers have to find their keys again. Keep them resting where they are.
- Not coming back. An index finger left on G turns the next F into a G. Return to the bump after every reach.
- Reaching with the middle finger. G and H belong to the index fingers. A middle finger reaching across pulls the hand off the home row.
Frequently asked questions
Which finger types G and H?
Your index fingers: the left one reaches one key right from F for G, and the right one reaches one key left from J for H. In touch typing each index finger covers two columns of keys, its home key’s and the one beside it toward the middle of the keyboard.
Why do G and H get a lesson of their own?
They are the first keys you reach for. The other home row keys sit under resting fingers, but G and H take a reach to the side, so the lessons add that one motion before any reach up or down.
How do I pass lesson 2?
Type a round at 95% accuracy or better in which both G and H 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 2.
What comes after lesson 2?
Lesson 3 adds E and I. Once you pass lesson 2, the next round starts it, and you can go back to any lesson whenever you like.
