The top row holds four of the five vowels, which makes it the busiest row in English. Every word in this lesson — from we and type to typewriter and proprietor — is spelled using top row letters only.
The reach
Each top row key belongs to the finger directly below it on the home row:
- Left hand:
Q little, W ring, E middle, R and T index. - Right hand:
Y and U index, I middle, O ring, P little.
Reach up with that finger alone, press, and bring it straight back down. The other fingers stay resting on the home row the whole time.
The two common mistakes
- Moving the whole hand. If your palm drifts upward, every following key lands in the wrong place. Only the finger should move.
- Staying up. After a run of top row letters, many typists leave their fingers hovering on the top row. The next home row key is then a reach down, and accuracy collapses. Always come home.
Why "typewriter" is here
Typewriter is one of the longest common English words that can be typed on the top row alone, and it has become a classic drill for exactly that reason. Proprietor, perpetuity and repertoire belong to the same family. Break each one into syllables and type them as smooth groups rather than letter by letter.
Practice notes
Q and P sit under the little fingers and are the keys most often missed. The accuracy step concentrates on them — quote, queue, equip — so slow down there even if the rest feels easy.