The big ideaOne finger steps down to a bottom row key, taps it, and comes straight home.
How it works
The bottom row is the row just below the home row. It has seven letters: z, x, c, v, b, n and m.
Think of the keyboard as a house with floors: home is the middle floor, the top row is upstairs and the bottom row is downstairs.
One finger curls down to a bottom row key, taps it, and comes straight back home. Only that finger moves.
Keep your wrist still, and a still hand always knows where home is.
A step down: rest, curl, tap, come home.
Example 1: The left hand steps down
The left pinky steps down from a to z.
The left ring finger steps down from s to x.
The left middle finger steps down from d to c.
The left pointer steps down from f to v, and stretches to b too.
The left hand's bottom row keys: Z X C V B.
Example 2: The right hand steps down
The right pointer steps down from j to m, and stretches to n too.
The right middle, ring and pinky fingers have no letters on the bottom row for now, so they stay home.
The right pointer's bottom row keys: N and M.
Example 3: Type box
b: the left pointer curls down from f.
o: the right ring finger reaches up from l.
x: the left ring finger steps down from s.
Down, up, down, with home in between, and the wrist stays still.
Box: B and X are on the bottom row, and O is on the top row.
Words to know
bottom row
The row just below the home row: z x c v b n m.
curl
To bend one finger down to a key while the rest of the hand stays still.
wrist
The joint between your hand and your arm. Keep it still.
Watch out
Do not lift your whole hand: only the one finger moves.
The x key is just below s, and the z key is just below a.
Come straight home after each tap, or the next key will take a hunt.
Try it
Which finger steps down to x?
Which finger steps down to c?
Which bottom row keys does the right pointer reach?
To reach a bottom row key, do you move one finger or your whole hand?
Answers: 1. The left ring finger · 2. The left middle finger · 3. m and n · 4. One finger
Try at homeSit at a keyboard with a grown-up. Rest your fingers on the home row, then step down to each bottom row letter with the right finger and come back home. Ask the grown-up to watch that your whole hand stays still.
For grown-upsWatch the wrist: it should stay still while a single finger curls down, and if the whole hand moves, ask for the step again, slowly.
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