Typing & Navigating

Typing means pressing keys to put letters and words on the screen, and navigating means moving around on the computer to find what you need.

Reading is good — doing is better. Practice Typing & navigating as an interactive lesson.

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Definition

Typing is using the keyboard to write letters, numbers, and symbols on a screen. Navigating means using the mouse, trackpad, or arrow keys to move around — like clicking on a folder to open it, scrolling down a page, or moving the cursor to the right spot before you start writing.

Remember the rule

Home Row First! Rest your left fingers on A-S-D-F and your right fingers on J-K-L-; — that is your starting position every time you type.

Key words

Keyboard: The set of buttons you press to type letters, numbers, and symbols into the computer.
Cursor: The blinking line on the screen that shows where your next letter will appear when you type.
Mouse: A small device you move with your hand to point and click on things on the screen.
Click: Pressing the button on the mouse once to select or open something.
Double-click: Pressing the mouse button two times very quickly to open a file or program.
Scroll: Rolling the mouse wheel or swiping on a trackpad to move up or down on a page.
Spacebar: The long bar at the bottom of the keyboard that you press to add a space between words.
Backspace: The key that erases the letter just before the cursor, one at a time.

Worked examples

You want to type the word 'cat'. Which keys do you press?

→ Press C, then A, then T. The word 'cat' appears on the screen. · Always look for each letter on the keyboard before you press it — one key at a time.

You typed 'catt' by mistake. How do you fix it?

→ Press the Backspace key one time. It erases the extra 't', leaving 'cat'. · Backspace only removes the letter right before the blinking cursor.

You finished typing one word and need to start the next word. What do you press?

→ Press the Spacebar one time to add one space between the words. · One tap of the Spacebar makes exactly one space — do not press it twice.

You want to open a folder called 'My Pictures' on the desktop. What do you do?

→ Move the mouse until the arrow points to the 'My Pictures' folder, then double-click the left mouse button to open it.

You are reading a long story on the screen but you can only see the top. How do you see the rest?

→ Roll the mouse wheel down, or press the Down Arrow key, to scroll the page so more of the story appears.

You want to add a word in the middle of a sentence you already typed. How do you get the cursor there?

→ Click with the mouse right where you want to add the word. The blinking cursor will move to that spot, and then you can start typing. · You must move the cursor first — typing always happens right where the cursor is blinking.

Common mistakes

Pressing Backspace many times to erase a whole word instead of clicking right after the mistake to place the cursor there first.
Pressing the Spacebar two or three times between words — only one space belongs between words.
Forgetting to click on the text box before typing, so the letters never appear on screen.
Using only one finger and one hand to hunt for every key instead of keeping both hands on the home row keys.
Double-clicking when a single click is all that is needed, which can open things twice or cause errors.

FAQs

Why does nothing happen when I press keys?

You probably have not clicked inside the text box or document yet. Click once inside the area where you want to type, and you will see the cursor start blinking. Then your typing will show up.

What if I press the wrong key and a weird symbol appears?

Just press Backspace to erase it, then look carefully at the keyboard and press the correct key.

What is the difference between a single click and a double-click?

A single click selects or highlights something. A double-click opens it. When you are not sure, try a single click first.

How do I make a capital letter?

Hold down the Shift key with one finger and then press the letter you want. Let go of Shift before you type the next letter.

How do I get better and faster at typing?

Practice a little every day. Start slowly, look for the right key, and press it correctly. Speed comes naturally after you practice enough times.

Can I use the arrow keys instead of the mouse to move around?

Yes! The four arrow keys — Up, Down, Left, Right — move the cursor one space or one line at a time. They are very helpful when you want small, careful movements.

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