About this lesson: Keys q & p II
Sequencing top-row reaches with home-row anchors is where typing starts to feel like real words. The challenge is keeping each reach independent so one finger's movement doesn't drag its neighbors.
Keys introduced in this lesson
Finger placement below describes the standard QWERTY layout — the drill itself adapts to whichever keyboard layout you practice with.
- q
left pinky, top row. A diagonal reach up — the pinky's hardest letter. Go slow.
- p
right pinky, top row. A diagonal pinky reach — accuracy here separates clean typists.
How to get the most from this drill
- Move one finger at a time; the others should stay planted or hovering over home.
- Common digraphs like 'er', 'ty', and 'ou' deserve deliberate slow practice — they appear constantly.
- Watch for tension in your forearms. Reaching rows should not mean stiff hands.