Top Row Keys

Q W E R T Y U I O P

The top row holds some of the busiest letters in English — E, R, T, O, I. You reach them by stretching up from the home row and snapping straight back down.

The reaches

Each home-row finger owns the key diagonally up-left of it: the D-finger reaches E, the F-finger reaches R and T, the J-finger reaches U and Y, and so on.

The move is up-and-back, not a hand migration. Your palms stay put; only the finger travels.

Why it matters so much

E is the most frequent letter in English, and T, O, R and I are not far behind. The top row is doing a huge share of the work in normal text, so smooth top-row reaches are where real speed comes from.

Tip: Reach with the finger, anchor with the palm — never slide the whole hand up.

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