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Punctuation
Punctuation is where good typists lose time without noticing. A comma or a question mark every few words adds up, and if each one needs a glance, your speed on real sentences stays well below your speed on plain word lists. This lesson drills the everyday marks: period, comma, exclamation mark and question mark. It also trains the Shift key, which you need for half of them.
Where your fingers go
- Comma (,): right middle finger, one row below K.
- Period (.): right ring finger, one row below L.
- Question mark (?): Shift plus the slash key, right pinky, one row below semicolon.
- Exclamation mark (!): Shift plus 1, left pinky on the number row.
- Semicolon (;) and colon (:): right pinky on its home key. Colon is Shift plus semicolon.
Technique
Use the opposite Shift
Press Shift with the pinky of the hand that is not typing the key. For a question mark, which is a right-hand key, hold the left Shift. For an exclamation mark, which is a left-hand key, hold the right Shift. Using the same hand for both is the usual tangle and the reason many people hesitate on these marks.
Shift down, key, Shift up
Press Shift first, then the key, then release both. Releasing Shift too early gives you a slash instead of a question mark, or a 1 instead of an exclamation mark. Releasing it too late capitalises the next letter.
Space after the mark
In ordinary English text a comma, period, question mark or exclamation mark is followed by one space. Type the mark, tap space, and carry on without stopping. In the drill each word carries its mark, so you practise the mark and the space together.
Curl down for comma and period
Comma and period are bottom-row reaches, just like M. Curl the finger down and come back. Don’t drop the wrist.
The punctuation drill
The drill uses short words with a mark attached: hello. world! yes, ok? well, and similar fragments, for a line of about 120 characters. The words are easy so that your attention stays on the marks. There is no backspace. Wrong keys are marked and counted, and WPM, accuracy, progress and errors update as you type. This is the last lesson in the sequence and unlocks after numbers.
Common mistakes
- Same-hand Shift. Reaching for the right Shift and the slash key with the same hand is slow and awkward. Use the left Shift.
- Comma and period mix-ups. They sit next to each other. Comma is the middle finger and period is the ring finger. If you get them backwards, your right hand has shifted one key along.
- Pausing before every mark. A small hesitation at each mark is natural at first. If it lasts, drill the mark on its own until it comes as fast as a letter.
- Leftover capitals. If the letter after an exclamation mark comes out capitalised, you are holding Shift too long.
Practice drills
- Mark on its own (2 minutes). k, k, k, l. l. l. then a? a? a! a!. Build the finger movement before adding words.
- Shift switching (2 minutes). Yes? No! Why? Stop! Who? Go!. Every word needs a capital and a shifted mark, which trains both Shift keys.
- Lists with commas (3 minutes). red, green, blue, and gray. then one, two, three, four, five. Keep the same rhythm through each comma.
- Real sentences (3 minutes). Wait, is it ready? Yes, it is. Great! Let’s go. Type it five times, checking how often you had to look.
- Colon and semicolon (1 minute). note: done; next: start; last: check;. Both marks stay on the right pinky.
After the last lesson
Finishing punctuation completes the lesson sequence, but it isn’t a certificate. The habits only stick with regular use. Keep a 60-second test in your week so punctuation shows up in a real measurement. Move on to Words mode for longer passages, and later Code mode, which adds brackets and symbols. The practice guide explains each mode, and How to improve typing speed has a plan for the weeks after the lessons. If you want a change of pace, the games are a good way to keep practising.
How to know you’ve got it
- Commas and periods come as easily as letters, without a glance.
- You always use the opposite-hand Shift for question and exclamation marks.
- Your accuracy on the drill is around 95 percent.