To make a capital: hold shift, tap the letter, let go of both.
The big ideaHold shift with one hand, tap the letter with the other, and a capital appears.
How it works
Every letter has a tall twin, called a capital. Tapping a key on its own gives the small letter.
A sentence starts with a capital, a name starts with a capital, and the word I is always a capital.
To make a capital, hold the shift key with one hand and tap the letter with the other.
Each side of the keyboard has a shift key. Hold the one on the other side from your letter, then let go of both.
The left hand types S, so the right pinky holds shift. The right hand types M, so the left pinky holds shift.
Example 1: A capital from the left hand: Ann
The left hand types a, so the right pinky holds the right shift key.
Hold shift, tap a, and let go of both.
Then type n and n as small letters.
A is typed by the left hand.
Example 2: A capital from the right hand: Mia
The right hand types m, so the left pinky holds the left shift key.
Hold shift, tap m, and let go of both.
Then type i and a as small letters.
M is typed by the right hand.
Example 3: Rex and I play.
The sentence starts with a capital: the left hand types r, so hold the right shift.
The word I is always a capital: the right hand types i, so hold the left shift.
Type the rest as small letters, and end with a full stop.
Example 4: Fix a card
Mia typed: mia and rex play.
Mia is a name and starts the sentence: make the m a capital.
Rex is a name: make the r a capital.
Now it reads Mia and Rex play.
Words to know
capital
A tall letter. It is the twin of a small letter.
small letter
The letter you get when you just tap a key.
shift
The key you hold to turn the next letter into a capital.
name
A word for a person or a pet, such as Mia, Rex or Joe. It starts with a capital.
Watch out
The shift key goes on the other side from the letter: if the left hand types the letter, the right pinky holds shift.
Hold shift first, then tap the letter, then let go of both.
The word I is a capital everywhere in a sentence, not only at the start.
Not every word gets a capital: a name and the first word of a sentence do.
Try it
Which shift key do you hold to type a capital D?
Which shift key do you hold to type a capital J?
Which of these need a capital: Mia, dog, Rex, I?
Put these in order: tap the letter, let go of both, hold shift.
Answers: 1. The right shift · 2. The left shift · 3. Mia, Rex and I · 4. Hold shift, tap the letter, let go of both
Try at homeAsk a grown-up if you may use the keyboard, then type the names of the people and pets in your home. Give each one a capital first letter, holding shift with the pinky on the other side, and show a grown-up when you are done.
For grown-upsAsk your child which hand types the letter before they reach for shift, since the other-side rule is the part that takes practice, and check that names on a card start with capitals.
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