# Which hand do you press the Shift key with? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 28, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502 "2008-08-28T01:50:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/21 "2008-08-28T04:55:27Z")
I’m right handed, but I always use my left hand to shift. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/22 "2008-08-28T05:00:29Z")
I’m right-handed, and I now see that I use my left pinkie. I never realized that before! ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/23 "2008-08-28T05:30:07Z")
My typing is fast too, and my shift key usage is completely random in this regard. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/24 "2008-08-28T05:33:45Z")
I am right handed, and I just noticed I tend to use my right pinky on the shift key when I’m typing to Capitalize Any Letter (Sorry about the caPs I was Just testing it to Make sure). Yep- def. always the right pinky, even when it’s a P or and L or an M… curious, I never noticed this before. ---
**Author:** ![Pithy\_Moniker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8dc957/32.png) [@Pithy\_Moniker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pithy_Moniker)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/25 "2008-08-28T10:36:54Z")
I use whichever one is on the opposite side of the keyboard to whatever I’m capitalizing. This was one of my typing teacher’s strictest rules. She’d prowl around the rows of electric typewriters and watch your hands to make sure that you were doing it correctly. I guess it paid off. I type pretty fast. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/26 "2008-08-28T11:12:32Z")
My left pinky, mostly. The typing teacher taught us to use the opposite hand of the one that goes to the letter (so left for “P”, right for “A”), but I think mousing has been bad for my form. Sowwy :o . Leftie, trained as rightie. I use the space bar with my right thumb mostly. ---
**Author:** ![Salem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Salem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salem)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/27 "2008-08-28T11:17:13Z")
Another Right Handed, Left Pinky User **AHunter** , to type “A” (capital a), it’s left pinky with left ring finger for me. Having played the piano since I was little, I think my left hand fingers are more adept at operating the typing keyboard. They’re used to operating independently of each other and memorizing the positions on a keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/28 "2008-08-28T11:18:47Z")
Right handed; always use \*\*left \*\*little finger to press Shift. My left ring finger is quick to fill in the gap, if the capital letter is A, Q or Z. I use all ten fingers when typing, as I was taught 1986. ---
**Author:** ![Salem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Salem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salem)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/29 "2008-08-28T11:26:42Z")
I just realized I rarely use my thumb for the space bar. I use either my index or middle finger of my right hand depending on which is closer at the time. Occasionally the thumb, if it happens to be positioned there at the time. I guess I’m an indiscriminate space bar user. I hope you’ll still respect me in the morning… Sorry for the post on post. Got a phone call while I was in the middle of editing to add the above and I blew my five minute edit window. Sometimes life is just not fair. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/30 "2008-08-28T11:36:59Z")
I use my nose! 🙂 Actually i completely identify with this: [QUOTE=PastAllReason] …I am left handed, but that has little consequence for the way I type. I press the shift key with my left hand if the letter I’m capitalizing is a key on the right side, and I press the shift key with my right hand if the letter I’m capitalizing is a key on the left side. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/31 "2008-08-28T12:00:21Z")
When I’m typing I press the key with the opposite hand of the one pressing the letter. e.g. Left hand for ‘I’ and right hand for ‘W’. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/32 "2008-08-28T12:22:20Z")
Always left hand for shift and right thumb for space - and I’m right-handed. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/33 "2008-08-28T12:26:47Z")
I touch type so I use both. ---
**Author:** ![tbdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@tbdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbdi)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/34 "2008-08-28T13:01:38Z")
There’s a shift key on the right? Wadda ya know! ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/35 "2008-08-28T13:23:00Z")
I’m right handed. I always press the shift key with my left hand. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/36 "2008-08-28T13:30:05Z")
I’m right-handed, and I use the shift key opposite the one pressing the letter to be capitalized. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/37 "2008-08-28T13:38:01Z")
[QUOTE=tbdi] There’s a shift key on the right? Wadda ya know! [/QUOTE] Yeah, I had to look to see what all these posters are talking about, Sure enough, there is one there, big as day. Whooda thunkit? ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/38 "2008-08-28T16:13:11Z")
Right handed, I always use the left shift key. It just feels really odd to try and hit the right shift key. Space bar, if you had asked me I would have said I use my right thumb, but it seems that I actually use my left. Strange. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/39 "2008-08-28T16:15:39Z")
Opposite hand of the letter that needs capitalization. Same with the CTRL-key: Opposite of the command key. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502/40 "2008-08-28T17:27:59Z")
Opposite hand of the letter, so both hands. I’m right handed and use either thumb to press the space bar too. I just did a meaningless bunch of text trying to decide which thumb presses the space bar and for no good reason it’s often the right, but sometimes the left. 😕 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-hand-do-you-press-the-shift-key-with/461502.md?page=3)