Keyboards come in various styles but they all contain similar basic keys. Some contain additional, unnecessary, "convenience" keys and cost more but the next picture shows a keyboard with all the keys you'll ever need:

The top row contains what are called function keys. They are F1 through F12.

Function keys don't type characters, they issue commands to the computer to perform certain actions. The actions these keys cause to happen are unique to the software programs that use them. The instructions that come with the software programs that use function keys, explain how the keys they use, operate for their software.

The Print Screen, Scroll Lock and Pause keys, to the right of the function keys, are not at all important for beginners so I'll skip them.

Esc (the escape key)

The Esc key is used to retreat after you perform some action you accidentally activated. Let's say you accidentally hit the "Enter" key in the middle of a line you are typing. This will cause the

The middle, left section contains the standard character typing keys, similar to those on typewriters so I won't explain them. The "Tab" key and the "caps lock" are also like a standard typewriter.

The Ctrl and Alt keys are called the "control key" and "alternate" keys respectively.

These are used in conjunction with other keys to perform certain actions. This won't make sense to you until you use them on your PC.

At the bottom, between the two Alt keys is the space bar. It works the same as on a standard typewriter. However, it is very important for users to understand that a space is not "nothing" to a computer! It is a space, and furthermore two spaces is not just more space to a computer. Two spaces are recognized by the PC as two spaces not one bigger space as you might think. Please try hard to remember that a PC recognizes spaces.

The largest key Enter located at the right of the center section is used to get to a new paragraph when you're typing.

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