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Types of Keys
Following are the different types of keys present on a keyboard:
Function keys Command keys
Escape Key
Number Keys
Caps Lock Key
Alphabet Keys Numeric keypad
Windows Key Spacebar Key Enter key Arrow keys
Alphabet Keys: There are 26 Alphabet keys (A–Z) on a keyboard that help to type letters. They are not
arranged in alphabetical sequence on the keyboard.
Number Keys: There are ten numeric keys (0–9). These keys are located above the alphabet keys and on
the right side of the keyboard, known as the Numeric Keypad. They are used for typing numbers quickly
and efficiently, essential for tasks like data entry and calculations in different applications.
Function Keys: These keys lie on the upper side of a keyboard (above the Number keys). They are labelled
as F1, F2, .......... F12 as shown in the figure, where ‘F’ stands for Function. Each of these keys is used for some
special function.
Punctuation Keys: These keys are crucial for adding essential marks to sentences and text. They include
comma (,), period (.), semicolon (;), colon (:), question mark (?), exclamation mark (!), single quotation
marks (‘), double quotation marks (“), hyphen (-), and dash (—). These keys help in structuring sentences,
indicating pauses, asking questions, adding emphasis, and quoting text accurately.
Arrow Keys: These keys are the direction keys that moves arrows in different directions i.e., Up, Down, Left
and Right. These keys are useful when one has to move the cursor across the screen. Arrow keys are also
called ‘Cursor Control Keys’ or ‘Navigation Keys’.
Enter Key: It is labelled with ‘Enter 8 ’. It is one of the most commonly used keys on the keyboard. On a
desktop keyboard, this key is placed in the middle as well as at the bottom right corner of the keyboard. It
helps to move the cursor to the next line and to execute any instruction after typing. It is also known as the
‘Return’ key.
Escape (Esc) Key: It is labelled with ‘Esc’. It is placed on the upper side at the left corner of the keyboard.
It is used to cancel the previous task or to come out of an opened application.
Spacebar Key: It lies at the bottom of the keyboard. It helps to give space (gap) between two letters or
words. Spacebar is the longest key on a keyboard.
Shift Key: This key is labelled with ‘Shift’ and an arrow pointing in the upward direction. There are two
such keys, one on the left side of the keyboard and the other below the ‘Enter’ key. It is used to type in
capital letters or to type special characters [@(At the rate), # (Hash), $ (Dollar), % (Percent), ^ (Exponent),
*(Asterisk), & (Ampersand), etc.] when used in combination with respective keys.
Ctrl Key: This key is used in conjunction with other keys of the keyboard to produce control characters or
instructions. Alt key is like a second control key.
118 Information Technology Play (Ver 1.0)-IX

