Then create a WordPad document and go through the following steps. Guides covering some tips and techniques for providing remote support to learners, an increasingly important service in times of social isolation. There are many different types of keyboards, but most are very similar and allow you to accomplish the same basic tasks. If you make a mistake in your typing, there’s always a remedy. If you know little or nothing about computers, this is the place to start! Software – Generally refers to any type of computer program. The ‘space bar’ (which you press briefly to make a space) is the wide key at the bottom of the keyboard. Step 3: If you make a mistake in your typing, there’s always a remedy. Read our guides What is WordPad? Step 7: You can also type using the numbers on the main keyboard. and How to open WordPad. Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn about the different parts of the keyboard. Keyboards can be 88 keys, 76, or 61. With funded membership opportunities currently available, now is the perfect time for organisations to join our Digital Champions Network. Definition of terms Hardware – The physical parts of the computer. (Always press briefly – otherwise, you’ll get repeated deletions, spaces, letters or whatever.) Try using the keys below to see where they take you: Step 10: You’ll be told to use the ‘Control’ (Ctrl) and ‘Alternate’ (Alt) keys for some operations. Above these numbers are various symbols, which include ‘£’, ‘&’, ‘!’. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. This is something you can decide on based on your needs and space available for the instrument. Basic PC shortcut keys. However, if you hold down a ‘shift key’ (there are two to choose from) at the same time as you type, you’ll get UPPER-CASE letters. Step 2: The main keys are the letter keys. There are many shortcuts – check out the list provided by Microsoft Support. Don’t forget to press this key again when you’re finished to turn ‘Caps Lock’ off. Follow these step-by-step instructions to help you get to know what your keyboard can do. It was invented by C L Scholes in the 1860s when he was working out the best place to put the keys on a manual typewriter. Keyboard. Then press Backspace briefly. Whenever you use a computer, you'll probably use a keyboard. When you type just using these, you get lower-case print. Step 11: Some of the things that you use the mouse for can be done with keyboard shortcuts. The most common kind of keyboard is referred to as a ‘QWERTY’ keyboard after the keys on the top row of letters. Step 8: If you want everything to appear in upper case, press the Caps Lock key and then type: Again, an indicator light may come on to show that your capitals are ‘locked’. Join our mailing list to receive the latest news, offers and expert insights from our team. Sitting at the Keyboard: Sit with good posture. Step 5: You can move the cursor along this sentence without deleting anything by using the arrow keys: Try moving the cursor backwards and forwards through your sentence. These require you to hold down one key while pressing another, and often involve using the ‘Ctrl’ and/or ‘Alt’ keys. Below is a list of some of the most commonly used … We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. To use this to type numbers, you have to press the Num Lock key. You’ll find them on the row of keys above the top line of letters. To delete a letter, place your cursor … Why not add our award-winning and extensive range of digital skills guides to your website? Step 9: The ‘Windows’ key comes in a number of different designs, such as the example to the right. For example, if you press Ctrl, Alt and Delete all at the same time, a menu will open. Click here for an enlarged version of the above diagram. Some people prefer using them to using the mouse. Before you can begin to use the keyboard, it must be properly connected to the computer and working. Step 10: There are a number of ways that you can move round a web page. The most important keys are labelled on the diagram below: Click here for an enlarged version of the above diagram, which you can print out for easy reference. You can choose to open the ‘Start’ menu by pressing this key or by clicking the button on the taskbar with your mouse. Could your workplace do with developing its digital skills? In order to prevent strain on your hands, back, neck, … It does exactly the same thing as the Windows button on the taskbar on your computer screen. In other words, anything you can touch and see, even before you turn on the computer. So if you press ’7′ on its own, you get ’7′, but if you press ’7′ while you hold down the ‘Shift’ key, you get ‘&’. To make it disappear, press the ‘Escape’ (Esc) key in the top left-hand corner of the keyboard. Step 6: Now try using the number pad, if you have one. But virtually all keyboards will have these important keys somewhere. It is easy to fit in the car as they travel from place to place. 88 keys is fine if you have the room, but most 88 key keyboards are rather heavy. You’ll find similar extra symbols elsewhere on the keyboard: They operate in exactly the same way as the ones above the numbers. Information about the device's operating system, Information about other identifiers assigned to the device, The IP address from which the device accesses a client's website or mobile application, Information about the user's activity on that device, including web pages and mobile apps visited or used, Information about the geographic location of the device when it accesses a website or mobile application. The keyboard is one of the main ways to communicate with a computer. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. This is a good sentence to practise because it contains most of the letters of the alphabet. I. To use these, hold down the Shift key while you type. For example, yours might not have a number pad or the delete key may be in a different place. Computer Basics - Keyboard & Mouse . When you do so, keep holding down one or the other key or both keys while you press any other keys. A lot of musicians have the 61 and/or a 76 key keyboard. Stephen Baird-Parker is a qualified ICT teacher. Keyboard Basics - How Computer Keyboards Work | HowStuffWorks Some keyboards, especially those on laptops, will have a slightly different layout. Step 1: Have a good look at your keyboard. Weird & Wacky, Copyright © 2020 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company. So that you can carry out the simple exercises below, you’ll need a document open to type into. Or place your cursor just before the letter, click and press Delete. Try typing your name, including capitals (UPPER-CASE) and spaces. To delete a letter, place your cursor (mouse pointer) just after the letter and click. There may be an indicator light at the top of the keyboard or on the ‘Num Lock’ key itself to show that it’s on. If you have a new computer and need help connecting the keyboard, or the keyboard is not working, see our steps on connecting and installing a keyboard.

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