A small number of two-letter combinations account for a large share of everything typed in English. th, he, in, er, an, re, on, at, en and nd appear in almost every sentence you will ever write.
Why pairs matter
Beginners type one letter at a time: find t, press, find h, press. Fluent typists type common pairs as a single motion — a roll — where the second finger is already moving before the first has finished. That overlap is where most of the speed difference between a 30 and a 60 words-per-minute typist comes from.
The roll only forms through repetition of the same pair, many times, in real words. That is what this lesson does.
How the lesson is built
- TH and HE first, in
the, then, there and other. - IN and ING, the ending you will type more than almost anything else.
- ER and RE, mirror images that roll in opposite directions.
- AN, ND and AND, then ON, AT and EN, then the word endings ST, NT and ED.
The later steps put the pairs into full sentences so you practise them in context.
What to watch
Word endings are where pair errors cluster. -ed, -ing and -nt arrive at the end of a word, just as your attention moves to the next one. Finish each word fully before you start the next.
Practice notes
Do not try to make the roll happen by typing faster. It forms on its own once the pair is familiar. Type accurately, at an even pace, and after a few sessions you will notice that the no longer feels like three letters.