Machine Shorthand

Fourth Year
Module 1
Strike Me

What this module is about

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

What to learn from this module

This module will teach you how to utilize properly of machine shorthand.
Specifically, this will enable you to:
1. illustrate the machine shorthand keyboard and home keys position;
2. discuss the consonant compounds(ST),period, new word ate and sat and vowel U;
3. discuss the consonant compound(-TS),MS abbreviations, derivatives and phrasing;
4. discuss the vowel O, MS abbreviations, letter U for double letter O, comma and
asterisk;
5. review the abbreviations, derivatives and Phrases;
6. discuss the initial R, final R(-R), consonant compounds (TR, -RS, -RT), abbreviations
and question mark;
 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 are to learn from this
module. Always refer to these objectives as you read and perform 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 posttest 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 on 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. Mr. Cruz wants to have a word STAY in his paper tape using machine shorthand
keyboard. What he should depress?

a. S T
b. S, -T
c. S T and A
d. S, -T and A

3. What the representations of the abbreviation word TAKE?

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

4. In the word SATURDAY, what is the MS abbreviation?

a. S A T
b. S T
c. S A –T
d. S A T U –R

5. In machine shorthand, what is the phrase of IS THE?

a. S T
b. S –T
c. T S
d. T T
6. Which letters should be depressing in machine shorthand keyboard to come up the
punctuation mark COMMA?

a. T P H
b. F P LT D
c. R B G S Z
d. K W R

7. In vowel O, its also represents the number of;

a. 1
b. 8
c. 0
d. 12

8. What letters in machine shorthand keyboard should be depress in the word

TRAIT?

a. T R A –T
b. T R
c. T R A T
d. TR A

9. Which letters should be depressing in machine shorthand keyboard to come up the

QUESTION MARK?

a. S T P H
b. F P L T D
c. R B G S Z
d. S K W R
 10. What the words represent in machine shorthand abbreviations of initial R?

a. Our
b. Hour
c. Are
d. All of the above

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 to me I’m harmless. I just want to show my image.
Machine shorthand is an easy skill course. The importance reminders to you are to make
sure you follow carefully all the instructions indicated in this module. I’m promise; you
can easily acquire knowledge and skills. So, let’s begin.
 Hey, dear student here the layout of machine shorthand keyboard. Look 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 words or syllables The consonant sounds
are written by depressing that end words or
one or more keys on the syllables are written by
left side of the keyboard depressing one or more
keys on the right side of
the keyboard
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 key position of the fingers.
 Home Key Position

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

Left Hand Right Hand

The left fingers are placed in The Right fingers are

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

The machine shorthand manually operated and spaces automatically at each

keyboard stroke when keys are released completely.

OK! Student, after we discuss those sections and proper homekeys position in
machine shorthand. Now, let’s have an application. Before that, we tackle first the
example.

Here the example shown at the bottom:

1. Consonant Compounds: ST
To write ST by depressing initial S and initial T

Example:
STAY- depress consonant compounds S T and vowel A together.
STATE- depress consonant compounds S T, vowel A and final consonant T (-T)
simultaneously.

ST A

ST A T
2. 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

3. 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

4. Punctuation Mark: PERIOD

To write the period depress the right homekey FPLT all together. Repeat
period a number of times until FPLT appear side by side on the right side of the
paper tape.
F L P T

Now that you know the uses and sections of machine shorthand keyboard
and those proper operation and homekey positions of fingers. And you learned
some applications and samples of machine shorthand. Do the activity below.
 Activity 1

Individual activity

1. Draw a machine shorthand keyboard on the clean sheet bond paper.

2. Illustrate the three section of keyboard.
3. Practice depressing this words SUE, STAY, U, ATE, SAT and PERIOD at
least five times until you memorize the proper way of depressing letters.

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

Self-Check

Direction: Fill in the blank

_____________1. This is the section of machine shorthand keyboard were the keys
located on the upper right side.
_____________2. Where the F, P, L, T keys located in keyboard?
_____________3. How 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?
 Lesson 2

Final S (-S), Initial Z (S), Final Z (-Z) and Consonant Compound: -TS

We all ready done in Consonant Compound ST and New Words. Now move on
the next lesson. Student are lesson for today is about a Final S (-S), Initial Z (S), Final Z
(-Z) and Consonant Compound: -TS. Stays put and relax. Here the topics indicated
below.

1. New Letters

Final S (-S) write –S with the right little finger on the key just below –T
key. Reach for –S without removing other fingers from their homekey
position.
Initial Z – is represent by initial S which is controlled by left small finger.
Final Z – is adjacent to –S. Depress –Z by extending the right little finger
sideward.

2. Consonant Compounds: -TS

To write consonant compounds –TS depress the crack between –T and –S

by the right small finger.

Example:

SUITS – depress initial S, vowel U and consonant compounds –TS in one stroke
STATES – depress consonant compounds ST, vowel A and consonant
compounds –TS in one stroke.

S U TS

ST U TS
3. Machine Shorthand Abbreviations

WORDS ABBREVIATION SENTENCE

S
is, his T His suit is Sue’s.
at, the, it T A Sue ate the stew.
Take S A T Take a suit.
Saturday ST Stay Saturday.
Street State the street

4. Machine Shorthand Derivatives

TAKE as an abbreviation is represented by T A. The word takes is written

in Machine Shorthand by adding S to the abbreviated word –TAS.

Example:

T A S
ST S

5. Phrasing
Phrasing in Machine Shorthand is writing more than one word in one
stroke.
 Example:

PHRASES MS PHRASE SENTENCE

is the S T State is the street.
is a Sat is a state street.
S A
at the Sue stays at the street.
T T
take the Take the stew.

T A T

How are you my dear students? I hope you still alive reading this module. So, after
we discuss this topic, let’s do an activity below.

Activity 2

1. Find your partner and make a short discussion or review regarding the lesson that
we have discuss.

Self-Check

Direction: Write a correct key letters on the box was indicated samples of MS
Abbreviations, Derivatives and Phrases.

is the
is, his
at the
take
Saturday
 Lesson 3

Letter U for Double Letter O

Congratulation dear student, I think you passed in our Lesson 1 to Lesson 2. You
already know how to utilized machine shorthand because of some examples. You just
follow it and you can reach out the skills that you wanted. So, C’mon let’s proceed for
the next lesson which is the Letter U for Double Letter O. Study well

1. Letter U
Use letter U for words containing doubt letter O to like too.

Here the example;

too T U

soot S U T
zoo
S U

2. Punctuation Mark; COMMA

To write comma, reach for the letters R B G S located below the right
homekeys. These are controlled by the right finger.

3. Correction Key : ATERISK (*)

The asterisk key is located between two index fingers. One asterisk
indicates that an error has been committed. Reach the asterisk key with
wither index finger and depress once before writing the correct word.
When you read or transcribes your notes, the asterisk(*) warns you ignore
 T U

S U T

S U
the word preceding it and to continue reading the notes that follow the
asterisk

Example:
S U

S A TS

S A S

4. Words of More than One Syllable

Words of more than one syllable are written as each syllable sounds and
thus become a stroke.

Example:
Sasa S A
S A

Tato T A
T O
statue
ST A
statute T U
ST A
T U T

I think your learning has inspired you to go on with the activity, for you to
Know the capacity of learning that you gain in this lesson. Do the activity.
 Activity 3

Home activity

1. Go to library or internet and search some example words of using letter U and O
and write to your notebook.
2. Apply the punctuation mark and asterisk in your improvised machine shorthand
keyboard.
3. And the next meeting we will discuss your research.

Do the self-check to determine whether you learned something from the foregoing
Discussion/presentation.

Self-Check:

Direction: True or False, Write true if the statement is correct and false if is not
correct.

__________1. Asterisk key is located between two small fingers

__________2. The letters RBGS is located below the right homekeys.
__________3. In letter U is used for the words containing double letter O.
__________4. F P L T D is the letters represents for punctuation mark COMMA.
__________5. The correct key letters for word zoo is S,U.
 Lesson 4

Review and Practice

Hi student. Are you missed our previous lesson. I think yes, but don’t worry student this
lesson is just a review for you for the better understanding. So what are you waiting for?
Join me and let’s review.

Review on Abbreviations Derivatives and Phrases.

Bring your improvised machine shorthand keyboards and practice those words
indicated in box below.

is a take Saturday another Tuesday

a his the takes streets an at you

Saturday street take you over another.

is the at the is a on the to be

over the take the is an is a the

Now that you recall the abbreviations, derivatives and phrases. To improved
your skill well just to it the activity below.
 Activity 4

Self activity
Write the sound pattern of the following on your notebook and after that you practice
depressing to your improvised keyboard
1. Sue
2. Say
3. States
4. Tuesday
5. Statue

Let’s see whether you have learned something from the discussion. Write your
answer in your notebook.

Self-Check

Direction: Read this tape notes that contain abbreviations and phrases and write down the
corresponding words on your notebook.

S A

S A

T T

S T

F P LT
 Lesson 5

New Consonant Compounds: TR, -RS, -RT

TR
To write T R straighten the left ring finger and curve the index left finger
and reach for letters T and R.

-RS
In writing –RS depress –R with the right index finger and –S with the
small right finger at the same time

-RT
Write –RT by curving the right index finger to reach –R and straighten the
small finger to –T and depress both simultaneously.

Example:

TR Sentence
tray T R A The tray is Sasa’s.
trait Rate Ray’s trait.
T R A T

-R S
yours U R S The suit is yours.
tours T U R S Tours are on Tuesday.

-R T
Art A R T Art takes the stew.
Start S T A R T Start the race.
MS ABBREVIATIONS

Practice these new abbreviations and the sentences

are, hour, our R Tours are on Tuesday

railroad Stay at the railroad.
R R
respect Respect Ray.
R S

Punctuation Mark: Question Mark

To write question mark (?) depress the left homekeys all together (STPH).
Practice writing question mark several times.

Let’s see whether you have learned something from the discussion. Do it the activity.

Activity 5

1. Prepare a one whole sheet of paper, write down at least five sentences from the
topics and make into machine shorthand.
Self-Check
Direction: Match Column A and Column B. Write only the letter of the correct answer.

A B
_______1. Tour a. U –R –S
_______2. Yours b. T U –R
_______3. Question c. -R –S
_______4. respect d. S T A –R –T
_______5. start e. S T P H
f. T O -R

LET’S SUMMARIZE

Machine Shorthand is an easy skill course. The Machine Shorthand keyboard is

divided in three sections.
The proper way of homekey position of the fingers.
The correct depressing of consonant compounds ST and vowel O.
Proper use of the machine shorthand abbreviations, derivatives, and phrases.
Correct application of new letters and number: vowel O, MS abbreviations and
letter U for Double O like too.
Review of Abbreviations and Derivatives.
The proper use of Initial R and Final R(-R) and new consonant compounds.

Now you can relax! Do want anything you want but make sure you recall the entire lesson that
you have learned. Then, answer the posttest. SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
 POSTTEST

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

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

2. Mr. Cruz wants to have a word STAY in his paper tape using machine
shorthand keyboard. What he should depress?

a. S T
b. S, -T
c. S T and A
d. S, -T and A

3. What the representations of the abbreviation word TAKE?

a. T K
b. T A
c. T A E
d. T E
4. In the word SATURDAY, what is the MS abbreviation?

a. S A T
b. S T
c. S A –T
d. S A T U –R

5. In machine shorthand, what is the phrase of IS THE?

a. S T
b. S –T
c. T S
d. T T

6. Which letters should be depressing in machine shorthand keyboard to come

up the punctuation mark COMMA?

a. S T P H
b. F P LT D
c. R B G S Z
d. S K W R

7. In vowel O, its also represents the number of;

a. 1
b. 8
c. 0
d. 12
 8. What letters in machine shorthand keyboard should be depress in the word
TRAIT?

a. T R A –T
b. T R
c. T R A T
d. TR A

9. Which letters should be depressing in machine shorthand keyboard to come

up the QUESTION MARK?

a. S T P H
b. F P L T D
c. R B G S Z
d. S K W R

10. What the words represent in machine shorthand abbreviations of initial R?

a. Our
b. Hour
c. Are
d. All of the above

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

ANSWER KEY

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

Lesson 1. Activity 1

Lesson 1. Self-check
1. F P L T D
2. Upper right side of keyboard
3. A –T
 4. Final consonants F P L T D
5. A O E U

Lesson 2. Activity 2

Lesson 2. Self -check

S T

T T

T A T

S A T

Lesson 3. Activity

Lesson 3. Self-check
1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. True

Lesson 4. Activity 4
1. S U
2. S A
3. S T A –T –S
 4. T U –S
5. S T A T U

Lesson 4. Self-check

Sasa is at the street

Lesson 5. Activity 5

Lesson 5. Self-check
1. B
2. A
3. E
4. C
5. D