What happens when you press the shift key while typing?

Pressing the shift key while typing enables the capitalization of letters. This functionality allows you to type uppercase letters without needing to engage the caps lock feature. For instance, if you press and hold the shift key while typing a letter, that letter will be capitalized, as well as any other character that has an alternate symbol accessible through the shift key (like punctuation marks).

The shift key is essential for producing certain characters and maintaining the correct case when necessary, particularly in the English language where the differentiation between upper and lower case letters is crucial for clarity and meaning. This function is fundamental in keyboarding and affects how text is inputted and presented.