Colemak touch typing lessons

Lesson C1

Welcome to the Colemak Course

This course is intended for beginners as well as experienced typists. The Colemak keyboard is an alternative to the QWERTY (Sholes) keyboard layout.
You will find it easier to learn than the QWERTY and Dvorak keyboard layouts.

Like the Dvorak keyboard, this is because the Colemak keyboard layout has been scientifically designed to minimise cumulative finger motion while typing English. The ten letters on the home row (A, R, S, T, D, H, N, E, I, and O) make up about 70% of all keystrokes. These ten letters alone can form over 3000 words. Needless to say, having these keys in the home row facilitates both speed and accuracy.

Unlike the Dvorak keyboard layout, however, the Colemak keyboard layout has also specifically been designed to be easy to learn for people who are already familiar with using a QWERTY keyboard layout. Despite this, it appears that the Colemak keyboard is as fast as, if not faster than, the Dvorak keyboard.

For information about the Colemak keyboard layout, see <http://colemak.com/>.

General Instructions

The fingers of the left hand should be placed over the A-key, the R-key, the S-key, and the T-key. Similarly, the fingers of the right hand should be placed over the N-key, the E-key, the I-key, and the O-key. This is called the HOME position. Only these fingers should be used to press the keys that they are above.

In addition to these keys, the SPACE bar should be pressed with the thumb of the right hand. At the end of every line, the RETURN key should be pressed with the fourth finger of the right hand.

(1) S, T, N and E

sets tens ten tnt sestet tenet seen nene testee tenets essen sent senses tenses teens stent sense tent nets tenseness net tense nests tennessee

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(2)

teen nest tents net tens teen tenets senses nests nest nets tenet sent sense tenses tennessee essen tnt tent teens tense nene stent seen

	135
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Lesson C2

(1) R and I

trite stress sire it entire terse tit sir tire sinner retire rinse inn tree insist tier rite teeter resin stir siren enter

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(2)

sitter insert site sneer intern tie inner series steer tin riser its resent sin rise rent rein iris stern in titter resist

	121
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(3)

eerie inert street is renter sit nine risen sister serene stint err snit intent entree nit inter rest tennis re tint

	115
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Lesson C3

(1) A and O

retain roe rant ratio toast sort stat tore earn noose teat eater oat trio tear tone artist nor tattoo seat arise noise start toss tenant oasis

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(2)

one aria no arson sonata soon rear to ass soot irate sane onset star root state oar errant resort tartan sonnet notes eat rotten stain ration

	140
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(3)

arose reason noon sass retina iota torn stairs iron estate toe are season not attire tenor innate torso tease arisen note tar snort tarot

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Lesson C4

General Instructions

When you need to press the D-key or the H-key, the first finger of the left or right hand, respectively, should be used. No other finger should be used.

(1) D and H

odds the hard tooth tide ether raid other rend hire dress has noted ash aide ha rider hiss soda ninth aside ahead hate toad shirt shed dare hid

	142
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(2)

this dose horde ashen road shot shod idea hear hand read rash darts those stand three stood shorn trend hint dote short darn ah staid her node had

	145
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(3)

heard horn third add these hot ode hers does heart hated did rhino sash door teeth rid here sod hoe nerd head hose drier trash tread host date hat

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Lesson C5

(1) HOME row exercises

his hat is an aid in the hot heat in his sad sod rest he sat on his hen

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(2)

ron did not don his hoe and tin hat dan did not see the dot on his tie as he hid his tan hat

	91
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(3)

i do as i do and the end is not as sad as the one sid had

	57
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(4)

add ado ads aha aid air and ani ant are art ash ass ate dad den did die din dis doe don dos dot ear eat end eon era ere err eta had hah has hat hen her hes hid hie his hit hod hoe hos hot ids

	189
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(5)

inn ins ion ire its net nit nod non nor not nth oar oat odd ode oho ohs one ore ran rat red rho rid rod roe rot sad sat sea see set she sin sir sis sit sod son sot tad tan tar tat tea tee ten the tho tie tin tit toe ton too tor tot

	228
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(6)

adds aeon ahas aide aids airs ands anon ante anti ants area ares dint dire dirt dish diss dodo doer does done dons door dose dote hair hand hard hare hart hash hate hath hats head hear heat heed inti into ions iota ired ires iris iron near neat need neon nerd

	256
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(7)

rash rate rats read rear redo reds reed rein rend rent rest rhea sate sear seas seat seed seen seer sees send sent sera sere sets soot sore sort sots star stir tads tans tare taro tars tart tats toad toed toes tone tons toot tore torn tors tort toss tost

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Lesson C6

General Instructions

The P-key and the L-key should be pressed only by the first finger of the left or right hand.

(1) P and L

toil dip lithe peer oiled spite less phase sold oops spiel slid patio slat nope slit poet spelt leper hall plaid snoop spill

	123
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(2)

padre paint dial pin land splat plop pale lead lip pail pond lope else pan peal stilt shop plot steal pain spool load peter solid

	128
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(3)

pilot sleep pep lone ale spend lilt past spit lots steep pool ideal pal snipe slope apple old petal polar let paste slip heist

	125
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Lesson C7

General Instructions

The F-key and the U-key should be pressed only by the second finger of the left or right hand.

(1) F and U

urn file hound flora pupil feast upper fade spud fern spurn froth huh foal dune sniff rerun furor tune fresh hush shaft lure left fuss usher

	139
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(2)

thief surf taut fold found sour fire stunt elf letup fell tout fun tuft puff us foe run fatal flout usurp flap ford four sinus fated dual roof

	141
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(3)

proud final fur utter fool round furl flare rude flute self hut stiff foul unit fraud pulp flood route feed pause fund fetid hurl tofu fear

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Lesson C8

General Instructions

The W-key and the Y-key should be pressed only by the third finger of the left or right hand.

(1) W and Y

wasp way delay hewn fury twit newsy yet whir ray water hurry dawn holly widen penny widow raspy yawn lily downy dwell

	116
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(2)

wiry sissy warp snowy furry swift windy hefty wish filly sweat hype sway prawn day fowl noisy wail surly rowdy wily

	114
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(3)

sweet lowly synod went posy strew your swine yap whoa paddy weep artsy aware stray wade style woof sunny stow pray

	113
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(4)

wife days frown wispy ply howl phony awe hyena endow handy whet yeast stew type word dandy show duly weird tasty newly

	117
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Lesson C9

General Instructions

The G-key and the J-key should be pressed only by the first finger of the left or right hand.

(1) G and J

jaw gel jut gape jury night juror giant jade gut jug jaunt gofer jeer gash just hog jot leg jog jet fight jilt guilt joy ghoul

	125
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(2)

jewel slog jeans gal jig jail dough jar pang jelly rang jowls gag jaws jiffy deign junta go jetty grass jaded fang joint gull

	124
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(3)

ajar dig jest gaffe fjord along join glass jolt groan jolly sting jeans green jiffy golly jot fig jilt sag jetty gruff jail

	122
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(4)

sung jaw gushy jeer gala just age jig jaded glee jut tongs jar god jet grate jade genre sharp jelly tangy proof ajar pager

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Lesson C10

General Instructions

The M-key and the V-key should be pressed only by the first finger of the left or right hand.

(1) M and V

envy mount vivid made motor navel moose lever madly levy muddy dive trump raven harem vain nomad view month hover lemon naval imply valet

	136
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(2)

gnome oven mean move grove swim vote swamp levee germ vat melee novel frame eve humid vile swarm verge med five limp haven ramp vet mitt

	135
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(3)

seven maple mover venom lava yum drive moat wove swam savor maim given dove dome ivory stomp very tumor sever sham avert loom vigor moldy

	136
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(4)

movie voter foam vast media devil metal grave muggy jar salve madam jot vie just saver dream jet foil vow him jumpy aloof shave

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Lesson C11

General Instructions

The B-key and the K-key should be pressed only by the first finger of the left or right hand.

(1) B and K

make lamb disk boob smoke skim abort kin blush dorky buns fake snub pike fable geeky beam eke brown waken butt nook bed oak buddy biker

	134
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(2)

stake bide dusk been risk belly joke bolt baker skull bore peek buyer awoke bliss looks babe kiddo sheik debut sky web frisk brief mark

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(3)

adobe woke jamb bike brisk nuke bulge kiss boa shook bayou okra tuba flask maybe desk brash week bongo flake jab murky bogus duke rehab

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(4)

stoke about trike birth maker book bird king ivory bond kiwi veto bill wok vine point boost just jerky naive promo baggy speak stave tribe

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Lesson C12

General Instructions

The Q-key should be pressed only by fourth finger on the left hand. The C-key should only be pressed by the second finger on the left hand.

(1) Q and C

circa quote quip cult quail craft quiet cute quash pubic quilt cheap quirk rice squad colt quay cleft quite music quit croon quits

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(2)

cab equal curl quick quake manic quad reach quark chord quart pace quill sack equip track squid sick quack squat poach quota eject

	129
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(3)

quark speck quail space quip chop quad comic quill squid clef quake close quota color quash care quick squad each quart pouch

	124
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(4)

quack equip twice quite black quilt thick quirk sic quits curly quiet coach quit quote gloss valor champ squat wares joy gasp vat

	128
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(5)

cross equal mown jest night vote coast quay tweak juicy lingo fit visa quilt sob threw jar grit info valet clamp quits limbo

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Lesson C13

General Instructions

The Z-key and X-key should be pressed by fourth and third fingers on the left hand, respectively.

(1) Z and X

exec fuzz boxer buxom glitz exam zeal toxic jeez lax hertz extol prize text ozone pixie size pixel booze ex zoom crux gauze fax woozy ax tizzy flux

	146
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(2)

jinx zit oxide froze axle ooze extra dozen exit bozo waxy quiz tax ritzy ox fizz index axes zinc apex zip exist buzz expo oxen fez tux dizzy proxy

	145
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(3)

detox zebra next doze max waltz affix zest sixty zone exact zoo excel frizz fox sex blitz mixer gizmo foxy seize mix unzip flex fizzy six fixed

	142
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(4)

jerk valve whiz relax work equal fuzzy exert quark hoard evil mixed jolly shook twang dove quota zero annex jibe key ranch regal wavy quick cozy

	143
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Lesson C14

Learning the SHIFT key

To integrate the shift key rhythmically in your practice, a capital letter should take three beats: 1. press the shift key opposite the hand to press the letter key 2. press the letter 3. release the shift key

(1)

Ada Anne Ana Ann Dad Dan Don Ed Eta Rita Dan Nan Nat Ned Sid Sire Tad Ted Tod Rene

	81
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(2)

The sad tot sat on a tan seat in his neat tent He ate ten stones

	63
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(3)

On his date Otis has a thin suit There is no tint on his shoes

	61
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(4)

Enos eats a thin hash diet in a dish as he sits on an odd seat Dad does not eat desert He had seen Ted dent his auto

	114
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(5)

Adna Anna Anne Dana Dead Edie Edna Enid Etta Heda Nate Nina Neta Nona Odie Ohio Otto Stan Tess Thad Theo

	103
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Lesson C15

Learning punctuation

The period/full stop is below the forth finger on the right hand. Note that the end of a sentence should be followed by two spaces; in abbreviations, it is followed by one space.

The comma is below the third finger on the right hand.

The fourth finger of the right hand and the left SHIFT key should be used to type a question point/mark.

(1)

e. e. e. e. a. s. o. n. e. t. r. h. i. d. a. a. h. r. a. i. o. n. s. d. t. e. h. o. r. i. s. a.

	94
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(2)

Adana. Andie. Annie. Aonia. Ardie. Denis. Diana. Dinah.

	55
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(3)

On the horse, Adana dined in haste on toast and dates. Sated, as she had eaten she noted the sheen on the drones and the shade in the sheds. She hates to see an idiot stand and shoot his tenth doe in the dense heath.

	213
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(4)

An onion heats, stunned, a stout nose. As does she? As do I? Do I send hands to douse teeth? Are their suedes hoisted ahead?

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(5)

The shy ape put on a red hat and ran off with the lot. Can pa go aft and lie on our old cot? For a top fee, her act is to hop in, lie on the rug, pat her pet cat, fit a fur on her ear, get her fan, and run off.

	207
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Lesson C16

Frequent words

The following 135 words are so frequently used that they comprise 50% of all words normally typed. If you can type the next two exercises without errors, half of all of your typed words will be correct!

(1)

a about after all also an and another any are as at back be because been before being between both but by can could day did do down each even first for from get good had has have he her here him his how I if in into is it its just know last life like little long made make many may me men more most Mr. Ms. much must my never new no not now

	336
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(2)

of or on one only or other our out over own people said same see she should so some state still such than that the their them then there these they this those through time to too two under up very was way we well were what when where which while who will with work would years you your

	281
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We now concentrate on words amongst the top one thousand most frequently used

that are 4 letters or more and that can be types using only the HOME row.

(3)

that this other there said their then these than side does three read hand here need near earth head stand state tree hard start don't north ease those idea hear horse soon door short area order heard interest road rain note star rest done stood street test stead heat tire distant

	278
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(4)

east heart reason ride store train root raise third hair either sand sense nation dress stone iron trade seed tone rise sent noon radio rather thin enter send rose dead desert shoe nine noise shine nose death season sister seat shore sheet share station instant dear teeth

	269
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Lesson C17

Alphabetic sentences

In this lesson we practice alphabetic sentences.

(1)

Sixty-five quizzical sheep kept their jaws dry in a farm bungalow.

	66
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(2)

Balky Zulus find they can hoax weary men with quavery jumping.

	62
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(3)

Jerome quickly began to be vexed by the powerful blizzards.

	59
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(4)

Squawking gorillas could vex the brazen nymphs in a jiffy.

	58
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(5)

Can Jerry's equipment file saws, ax, hoe, knives and grind adz?

	63
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(6)

Ben works at squeezing very juicy plums with flexed thumbs.

	59
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(7)

The black wizard quipping jovially flexed his muscles.

	54
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(8)

Will you pack my jugs of liquid veneer in five dozen boxes?

	59
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(9)

Could the wizard jinx quivering folks by magic yelps?

	53
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(10)

Brazen gazelles quickly examined the forward jeep.

	50
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(11)

The brown dog quickly jumped over the lazy fox.

	47
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(12)

Will the kind judge squelch the five or six brazen nymphs?

	58
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(13)

Mix zippy Kadota figs with quivering cranberry jelly.

	53
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(14)

The wives quickly jerked extra big pizzas from the stand.

	57
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(15)

Lisa quickly mixed the very big jar of new soap.

	48
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(16)

The major will fix a quiet cozy nook for the vexed, bad Gypsy.

	62
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(17)

Pairs of lazy knowing oxen came by quietly evading the jam.

	59
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(18)

Juvenile zest for excitement whetted interest in parking by the quay.

	69
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(19)

Put your big ax, shovel and quartz where Mike's fence joins ours.

	65
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(20)

The brawny jaguar held fast till the quaking Zouave victim expired.

	67
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Colemak touch typing lessons