TypingThe number row: 1 to 0
Numbers sit on the row above the top letter row. They are the longest reach on the keyboard, and many people who type letters well still look down for numbers. A little practice fixes that.
Which finger for which number
Each finger reaches up past the top row to the number above it and slightly to the left.
little finger ring middle index (left hand: keys on the left half; right hand: the right half; thumbs: space bar)
| Number | Finger |
|---|---|
| 1 | Left little |
| 2 | Left ring |
| 3 | Left middle |
| 4 and 5 | Left index |
| 6 and 7 | Right index |
| 8 | Right middle |
| 9 | Right ring |
| 0 | Right little |
Some teachers give 6 to the left index finger, because on many keyboards it sits nearer the left hand. Either way works. Pick one and never change it.
How to reach without getting lost
The reach is long enough that the hand lifts a little. That is acceptable for numbers, as long as one finger keeps touching its home key as an anchor. When the left index finger goes up to 4, keep the little finger on A. When the right little finger goes up to 0, keep the index finger on J. The anchor brings the hand back to the right place.
Drill
Learn the numbers in pairs with their home keys, then type real figures.
f4f f5f j7j j6j d3d k8k s2s l9l a1a ;0;
14 25 36 47 58 69 70 81 92 10
1947 1950 2001 2024 2026 1857 1919
room 12, seat 45, row 7, gate 3, bus 96
call 080 2345 6789 after 10 on the 15th
pin 110001, pin 400001, pin 560001, pin 141001
invoice 2047 dated 12 november for 3650 rupees
The numeric keypad
A full size keyboard has a separate block of number keys on the right, laid out like a calculator. If you enter long lists of figures, for example in accounts, it is faster than the number row. Rest the right index finger on 4, the middle finger on 5 and the ring finger on 6. The 5 key has a bump like F and J. The thumb presses 0. Num Lock must be on. Most laptops have no keypad, so the number row is still the skill to learn first.
The letter O and the number 0
In codes, passwords and vehicle numbers, the capital letter O and the digit 0 look alike, and so do the small letter l and the digit 1. They are different keys and a computer treats them as different characters. When you copy a code, look at how it is written and type the right one.
Where numbers matter
Dates, amounts, phone numbers, roll numbers and PIN codes are the parts of a document where a mistake costs the most. A wrong letter in a word is easy to spot. A wrong digit in an account number is not. So for numbers, type more slowly than for words, and read the figure once after typing it.
This is an independent practice site. It is not connected with any examination body, keyboard maker or software company. A typing speed measured here is for your own practice. It is not a certificate, and an examination may measure speed in its own way.