KEYBOARD MASTERY
THE COMPUTER KEYBOARD LAYOUT
A computer keyboard is an input device used to enter characters and functions into the computer
system by pressing buttons, or keys. A keyboard usually contains 104 keys consisting of
individual letters, numbers and special characters, as well as keys for specific function. A
keyboard is connected to a computer system using a cable or a wireless connection.
The layout of these keys derived from the original typewriter layout. The most widely used
layout in the English language is called the QWERTY, named after the arrangement of the first
six letters from the top left of the keyboard.
There are different types of keys on your computer keyboard namely:-
1. Character keys
2. Space Bar
3. The Escape (Esc) key
4. Modifier keys
5. Command keys (System keys)
6. The Cursor
7. Other important keys – backspace, delete, four-arrow keys, home key, End, PgDn, PgUp.
1. Character Keys
A Character key is a letter, number, punctuation mark or other symbol. The character keys
are displaced in the larger, left portion of the keyboard, in the rows below the Function keys
that are labeled F1 to F12.
2. Space Bar
The Space bar is the longest key on the keyboard. This must be press the space bar twice to
insert a blank space after each word.
3. The Escape (Esc) Key
The Escape is located at the top left corner of the keyboard labeled Esc, and also called the
Panic Button. It allows someone to stop an action, leave a program, or return to a previous
menu.
If you find yourself in a place where you don't want to be, try the Esc key. In PowerPoint
this key will stop a running slide show.
The keyboard combination Ctrl + Esc will open the Start menu.
4. The Modifier Keys
The Caps Lock and Shift keys are called Modifier keys. These keys change the function of
the character keys. It allows you to enter text in Uppercase / Capital Letters (ABCD) and
Lowercase (abcd) letters.
Hold shift and press the letter key then release both keys, creates a Capital letter.
The number five key also carries the symbol % at the top. To create the %, hold the Shift
key down and at the same time press the key / button number five.
Press Caps Lock key only if you want to type a lot of Capital Letters. On completion of the
Capital letters simply press the Caps Lock key and it returns to Lowercase letters.
A light to the right top right side of the keyboard will come on to indicate Caps Lock
(Capital letters) is on and goes off when you have returned to Lowercase letters.
5. Command Keys
The Special Command Keys; Ctrl and Alt are used in combination with other keys to
perform specific tasks.
Eg. To close the Microsoft Windows programme currently open - press ALT+F4.
6. The Cursor
The cursor is a small dark vertical bar (|) blinking on the screen. The cursor indicates where
the text you type will appear.
Your cursor moves across the screen as you type. After you have started typing you can use
the mouse or touchpad to place the cursor anywhere within your text.
The touchpad is a flat device that can sense where on its surface it is touched. You control
the screen pointer by gliding your hands along the surface of the touchpad.
Move your pointer to any position you want the cursor to go and click the left-mouse button.
7. Other Important Keys
1. The Enter key is used to move to a new line. When typing in Microsoft Word, text will
automatically wrap to the next line. This word-wrap feature means that you only need to
press Enter to start a new paragraph.
2. The Backspace key is sometimes labeled with a left-pointing arrow. You can backspace to
remove the character(s) to the left of the Cursor.
3. The Delete key also erases characters. Use the Delete key to erase characters to the right of
the Cursor.
4. Four-arrow keys
The arrows keys have arrows facing different directions indicating up, down, left, or right
arrow, used for moving the cursor.
5. Tab key
Move between items or move forward five characters (depending on the task).
6. Pound key
The pound key is known as the hash key on the telephone keypad or computer keyboard.
7. Star key
The star key is the asterisk symbol (*) on a telephone keypad or computer keyboard.
8. Touchpad
This is a small flat surface on a laptop computer that you touch with your finger in order to
move the cursor on the screen.
9. Shift keys
When the Shift key is pressed at the same time as a letter key, an upper case version of that
letter is produced. For other non-letter keys, this action produces the character that is above
the main character on the key.
10. Print Screen pressing
The Print Screen key captures an image of your entire screen.
11. Touchpad
This is a small flat surface on a laptop computer that you touch with your finger in order to
move the cursor on the screens as you type. The cursor indicates where the text typed will
appear. After you have started typing you can use the mouse / touchpad to place the cursor
and anywhere within your text.
