Lesson 5 of 10 · English

Shift key + the period-space-capital flow

Duration
30 minutes
Frequency
5 days
Keys this lesson
Shift + all letters + period/capital flow

What this lesson covers

Lesson 5 introduces the shift key and capital letters. Hold shift with your pinky (left or right, whichever is opposite the letter you are capitalising), press the letter, release shift. This three-step sequence becomes one fluid motion with practice.

The most-used capitalisation pattern is the period-space-capital flow at the start of a new sentence. . T requires you to press period, release, press space, release, press shift, press T. That is five keystrokes for "start a new sentence with T". Drill it until it becomes one reflex.

Lesson 5 is also where you start typing real formal-prose sentences — the style and register that SSC CHSL and banking LPT passages use.

Drills — type along, do not skip

Drill 1 — Shift key isolation
Use shift for each capital. Build the shift-with-pinky reflex.
A B C D E F G H I J A B C D E F G H I J
Net WPM 0 Accuracy 100% Errors 0
Drill 2 — Period-space-capital flow
4 short sentences. Drill the period-space-capital sequence at each break.
The lad ran. The lad fell. The lad got up. The lad ran again.
Net WPM 0 Accuracy 100% Errors 0
Drill 3 — Multi-sentence drill
Continuous prose with sentence boundaries. Practice the rhythm.
India is a nation. It has many states. Each state has its own language. The people speak many tongues.
Net WPM 0 Accuracy 100% Errors 0
Drill 4 — Formal paragraph
A formal paragraph with capitalisation, periods, numbers, and commas. The actual style of government passages.
The Indian Constitution is the longest written constitution in the world. It was adopted in 1949 and came into force on January 26, 1950. The document has been amended many times to reflect changing needs.
Net WPM 0 Accuracy 100% Errors 0
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Why this lesson matters

The shift-key delay is what separates 35 WPM typists from 50 WPM typists. Self-taught typists release shift slowly, adding 0.2 seconds to every capital letter. Multiply by 50 capitals in a 10-minute passage and you have lost 10 seconds — 5 WPM.

Lesson 5 also bridges the gap between typing drills and real prose. After this lesson, you are typing the actual style of language your exam will use.