Which keys are considered the home row keys on a QWERTY keyboard?

The home row keys on a QWERTY keyboard are indeed A, S, D, F, G, H, J, K, and L. These keys are particularly important because they are where the fingers rest when a person is typing. This position allows for efficient access to the other keys without looking at the keyboard, making typing more fluid and faster.

These keys are positioned in the middle row of the keyboard, forming a base for touch typing, which is the method that encourages typing without the use of the eyes to locate the keys. This set of keys also aligns with the fingers: the left hand is positioned over A, S, D, and F, while the right hand is placed over G, H, J, and K. The physical arrangement and the practice of returning fingers to these keys help in developing muscle memory, which is critical for proficient typing skills.

In contrast, the other choices refer to keys that are either located above or below the home row or are not grouped together as a single row, thus not serving the same foundational role for touch typing proficiency.