Typing Speed Test

The test shows words per minute (WPM), accuracy, and the number of errors as you type a passage of ordinary prose. A "word" is standardised as five characters including spaces, so the score is comparable across texts. Typical results:

Accuracy matters more than raw speed. A score of 70 WPM at 98 % accuracy is better than 85 WPM at 90 %, because every error costs a correction, and the net speed (gross WPM minus errors) is the number that reflects real work. The test reports both.

• Touch type. Fingers on the home row (ASDF and JKL;), each finger responsible for its columns, eyes on the screen. The switch from looking at the keys feels slow for a week or two and then overtakes hunt-and-peck permanently.
• Accuracy first. Practise at a speed where errors are rare. Speed follows accuracy; the reverse is not true.
• Short, daily sessions. Ten to fifteen minutes a day beats an hour on Sunday, because motor skills consolidate during sleep. Pair it with the habit tracker.
• Vary the text. Prose, numbers, punctuation and code all use different keys. The test rotates passages; use the "new text" option for a fresh one.
• Posture and keyboard. Wrists straight, elbows at about 90 degrees, keyboard flat or slightly negative tilt. A comfortable keyboard adds more WPM than any drill.

Take the test three times and average the results; a single run varies with the passage and with how warmed up you are. Retest weekly at the same time of day. A realistic target for an adult starting at 40 WPM is 60 within two to three months of daily practice. Reaction speed and typing are different skills, but if you are curious, the reaction time test measures the former, and the stopwatch can time a longer free-typing session.