Object 19
Subject : English Language
Grade :7
Topic : Writing/Brailling
Sub-topic: Keyboard skills
Objective: identify the functions of special keyboard keys (Part C)
Introduction
A keyboard also has special keys. In this object we are going to look at special keys
and the functions.
Special keys on keyboard and their functions:
Scroll Lock:
When Scroll Lock is selected it presses on the arrow keys resulting in scrolling
through a page of text rather than moving the cursor line by line.
Caps Lock:
The CAPS LOCK key locks the alphabetic keys into uppercase characters.
Num Lock:
When the NUM LOCK key is pressed, the numbers on the number pad of the
keyboard are activated. When the NUM LOCK key is not pressed, it’s the
arrows and special keys on the number pad which are active.
Shift:
The SHIFT key is used to toggle a key between its lowercase and uppercase
characters. It also used on international keyboards to access special
characters on keys where there are more than two characters on the key.
Press it down at the same time as the letter/character key to produce the
special character shown on the bottom right side of the key.
Enter:
The ENTER key is the most used key on the keyboard. The ENTER key performs
a variety of functions from ending the line or entry in application software to
serving as a weapon trigger in a shooting game.
Space:
The SPACEBAR key commonly referred to as the white space key. The
SPACEBAR produces one character of white space.
Backspace:
The BACKSPACE key erases a character by replacing it with the character or
white space that follows it.
Ctrl:
The Ctrl key is mainly used in many keyboard shortcuts.
Alt:
The Alt key is also used in many keyboard shortcuts.
Tab:
Tab key used to move between objects or move forward 5 characters. The
TAB key produces defaults to half an inch of white space.
Print Screen SysRq:
When pressing the Print Screen key, it captures an image of your entire
screen. Print Screen SysRq key mainly used to take screenshots of the entire
screen.
Pause Break:
In its default mode (PAUSE), this key will if enabled by software, pause the
display or the action of an application program. If used in combination with the
CTRL key, the alternate mode of this key interrupts or halts some software
programs, primarily MS-DOS commands and applications. Using the CTRL
and BREAK keys together is the same as using the CTRL and C keys to
break an action.
ESC:
The Escape key is typically enabled as an exit key by most software
applications. It also used in combination with other keys to create special key
values and to indicate other actions. For example, in Windows, the ESC key
used to close a context menu.
Insert:
When pressing this insert key switches between two modes when you are
typing. In the first mode, what you type appears before the cursor and pushes
any text that comes after it to the right. In the second mode, any text that you
type successively replaces any text that is to the right of the cursor.
Delete:
This key is used to delete any content, file, media, etc.
Home:
The Home key uses for returning the text cursor to the beginning of the line on
which you’re currently typing. This key may also move the cursor to the
beginning of a document, or cell.
Page Up:
If you are currently being worked has more than one page in a document,
then this Page Up key is used to move or scroll up one page.
Page Down:
If you are currently being worked has more than one page in a document,
then this Page Down key is used to scroll down one page.
End:
The End key uses for moving the cursor to the end of the line.
Exercise
Write at least one function each of the following keys
1. Enter:
2. The SPACEBAR:
3. Backspace:
4. Ctrl:
5. Alt:
6. Tab:
Developed by Masuka Moreblessing
