The New Machine Shorthand

Module 1
Strike Me

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 Machine Shorthand
Lesson 1
Machine Shorthand Keyboard and Home Key Position

What this module is about?

A wonderful day! Are you excited to enhance your skills in typing in machine shorthand?
If yes, good and if not, think twice. I’m sure you will enjoy it. Machine shorthand is an easy
course skill. Just strike to the right and left and strike up and down. So, prepare yourself because
this module will help you find out the secret techniques in machine shorthand. So, what are you
waiting for? Let’s start .

What to learn from this module

This module will teach you how to utilize properly the machine shorthand.
That will enable you to achieve the ff.

1. define the definition of machine shorthand.

2. discuss the three section of machine shorthand keyboard.
3. illustrate the proper way of home keys position in machine shorthand.
4. discuss the consonant compound ST and examples.
5. study the new words ATE and SAT.
6. discuss the new letter U and the punctuation mark PERIOD.

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 How to learn from this module

1. Read the title first. Do you have in mind what the title means to you? Are you excited to scan
the pages of this module and start learning?
2. After reading the introduction, go through the expected skills you want to learn from this
module. Always refer to these objectives as you read and perform the tasks in the different
learning activities in this module. This way, you can check if you’re following the right tract to
attain the objectives of this module.
3. Next, work on the Pretest. Do your best to accomplish what is asked of you. Do not worry
about getting a low score. Just go on and do your best.
4. After working on the Pretest, accomplish all the activities in this module to check how well
you fared.
5. Finally, answer the post-test to check if you really comprehend what you read. Check if your
answers are correct in the answer key provided at the end of this module.
Certainly, you are expected to score higher than the pretest.

PRETEST

Direction: Read and analyze the questions carefully and choose the right answer. Write the
answer in your notebook.

1. Which are the three sections of machine shorthand keyboard was the letter S, T, P, H
located?
a. Vowel
b. Initial Consonant
c. Consonant Compound
d. Final consonant

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2. What are the three sections of machine shorthand keyboard was the letter F, P, L, T, D
located?

a. Vowel
b. Initial Consonant
c. Consonant Compound
d. Final consonant

3. What are the three sections of machine shorthand keyboard was the letter A, O, E, U
located?

a. Vowel
b. Initial Consonant
c. Consonant Compound
d. Final consonant

4. Where are the keys placed at the upper part of keyboard using the left hand fingers?
a. S T P H
b. S K W P
c. F P L T D
d. R B G S Z

5. Where are the keys placed at the upper part of keyboard using the right hand fingers?
a. S T P H
b. S K W P
c. F P L T D
d. R B G S Z

6. What keys should be depress simultaneously when you heard the word STATE?

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 a. ST A T E
b. ST A T
c. ST
d. ST A

7. In the word ATE, what keys should de depress at the same time?

a. A
b. A T E
c. A –T
d. T E

8. Which vowel is written by the right thumb at the far right of the vowel keys?
a. A
b. O
c. E
d. U

9. How to write by machine shorthand keyboard the word SUE?

a. S U E
b. S U
c. S
d. U E

10. In writing of punctuation mark period in machine shorthand, which keys should be
depressed all together?
a. A O E U
b. S T P H
c. F P L T D
d. R B G S Z

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 Lesson 1

MACHINE SHORTHAND KEYBOARD AND HOME KEY POSITION

Definition:

Machine Shorthand - is a specialized chorded keyboard or typewriter used by stenographers for

shorthand use.

Hello! Students, Are you shock in what have you seen right now that’s
the machine shorthand. Don’t be afraid that’s easy. I just want to show the image
of Machine Shorthand. It’s an easy skill course. The important reminders to you
is to make sure that you follow carefully all the instructions indicated in this
module. I promise you can easily acquire knowledge and skills. So, let’s begin.

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 Hey, a dear student here’s the layout of machine shorthand keyboard. Observe and learn
the keyboard section. This is very important in the proper operation of machine shorthand.

THREE SECTION OF KEYBOARD

Initial
Consonant Final
Consonant
The consonant
sounds that begin The consonant
words or syllables are sounds that end
written by depressing words or syllables
one or more keys on are written by
the left side of the depressing one or
keyboard more keys on the
Vowels

All the sounds are

written by depressing
one or more keys on
the bottom of the
keyboard.

Now that you know the three sections of machine

.
shorthand keyboard, so, let’s proceed to the home keys position of
the fingers

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 HOME KEY POSITION

As you begin, place your fingers on the keyboard in a natural curved position. And this is the
home key position. Always start writing with your fingers at the home key.

Left Hand Right Hand

The left fingers are The Right fingers are

placed in the keys S, placed in the keys F,
T, P, H at the upper P, L, T at the upper
part of the keyboard. part of the keyboard.
This is the left home This is the left home
key. The left thumb key. The left thumb
rests lightly over the rests lightly over the
vowel keys A and O. vowel keys E and U.

The machine shorthand manually operated and spaces automatically at each keyboard
stroke when keys are released completely.

. OK! Students, after we have discussed those sections and

proper home keys position of machine shorthand. Now, let’s
have an application. Before that, let’s tackle first the examples
at the bottom.

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 CONSONANT COMPOUNDS: ST

To or more consonants occurring together in a

word as ST in the word STAY (ST A) are called
consonant compounds.

To write ST by depressing initial S and initial T

Example:

STAY- depress consonant compounds S T and vowel A together. ST A

STATE- depress consonant compounds S T, ST A T

vowel A and final consonant T (-T) simultaneously.

NEW WORDS: ATE AND SAT

ATE – depressing a vowel A and final consonant T (-T) at the same time.
SAT – depressing an initial S, vowel A and final T (-T) simultaneously.

A T

S A T

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 NEW LETTER AND NEW WORDS

Vowel U – is written by the right thumb at the far right of the vowel keys.

YOU - depressing the U key

SUE- depress the initial S and vowel U simultaneously.
STEW- depress the compound consonants ST and vowel U together

S U

ST U

PUNCTUATION MARK: PERIOD

To write the period depress the right home key FPLT all together. Repeat period a
number of times until FPLT appear side by side on the right side of the paper tape.

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 Now that you know the uses and sections of machine
shorthand keyboard and their proper operation and home
key positions of fingers. Now you learned some
applications and samples of machine shorthand. Do the
activity below.

Activity 1

Individual activity

Direction: Draw a machine shorthand keyboard on the clean sheet bond paper and Write
the corresponding letters and illustrate the three section of keyboard.
.

I hope you enjoy this activity. Try and Try until you accomplish this individual activity.

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 Self-Check

Direction: Identification;
Identify the ff. and write your correct answer on the space provided.
_____________1. This is the section of machine shorthand keyboard were the keys located on
the upper right side.
_____________2. Where is the F, P, L, T keys located in keyboard?
_____________3. How do you write the word of ATE in machine shorthand?
_____________4. What keys should be depressed in the punctuation mark PERIOD?
_____________5. What are the vowel letters in the keyboard?

LET’S SUMMARIZE

__Machine Shorthand is an easy skill course.

__The Machine Shorthand keyboard is divided into three sections.
__The proper way of home keys position of the fingers.
__The correct depressing of consonant compounds ST and vowel U.
__Proper use of new letters and new words.
__Correct application of the punctuation mark PERIOD.

Now you can relax. Do what anything you want but

make sure that you recall the entire lesson that you have
learned. Then, answer the posttest. SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

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 POST-TEST

Direction: Read and analyze the questions carefully and choose the right answer. Write the
answer on your notebook.

Direction: Read and analyze the questions carefully and choose the right answer. Write the
answer in your notebook.

1. Which are the three sections of machine shorthand keyboard was the letter S, T, P, H
located?
a. Vowel
b. Initial Consonant
c. Consonant Compound
d. Final consonant

2. What are the three sections of machine shorthand keyboard was the letter F, P, L, T, D
located?

a. Vowel
b. Initial Consonant
c. Consonant Compound
d. Final consonant

3. What are the three sections of machine shorthand keyboard was the letter A, O, E, U
located?
a. Vowel
b. Initial Consonant
c. Consonant Compound

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 d. Final consonant
4. Where are the keys placed at the upper part of keyboard using the left hand fingers?
a. S T P H
b. S K W P
c. F P L T D
d. R B G S Z
5. Where are the keys placed at the upper part of keyboard using the right hand fingers?
a. S T P H
b. S K W P
c. F P L T D
d. R B G S Z
6. What keys should be depress simultaneously when you heard the word STATE?

a. ST A T E
b. ST A T
c.ST
d. ST A

7. In the word ATE, what keys should de depress at the same time?

a. A
b. A T E
c. A –T
d.T E

8. Which vowel is written by the right thumb at the far right of the vowel keys?
a. A
b.O
c.E
d.U

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 9. How to write by machine shorthand keyboard the word SUE?
a.S U E
b. S U
c. S
d. U E

10. In writing of punctuation mark period in machine shorthand, which keys should be
depressed all together?
a. A O E U
b. S T P H
c. F P L T D
d. R B G S Z

Assessment of Your Answers

Dear student, if you got scores between 9-10 correctly, excellent! It shows that you
understood and remembered what we have discussed. Congratulation!

If you got correct scores between 7-8, very good! You remembered most of the things we
have discussed. Check those questions you did not answer correctly and see why you forgot their
answers.

If you correct answers were from 5-6, that was good. What you have remembered were
probably the ones close to your heart. I suggest that you read the text again and try to answer the
questions once more.

Finally, if you have a score between 1-4, I suggest that you read the lessons again and see
where you have forgotten some details. And try to answer the test again and see if your score
will improve. GOODLUCK

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 BYE dear student, I hope to see you again to next module.

ANSWER KEY

Pretest/Posttest
1. B
2. D
3. A
4. A
5. C
6. B
7. C
8. D
9. B
10. C

ACTIVITY
INTIALCONSONANT FINALCONSONANT

VOWEL

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