How Do Typing Tests Work?
On Typing Scale, a typing test starts when you type the first character of the passage. When time runs out, your speed tells you how much correct text you produced. Your accuracy tells you how many of your entries were right on the first try.
How does the test calculate WPM?
Five correct characters count as one standard word. Spaces and punctuation count, too. This keeps a passage full of short words comparable in length to one with longer words.
WPM = correct characters ÷ 5 ÷ elapsed minutes. Say you finish with 250 correct characters in two minutes. That adds up to 50 standard words, or 25 words per minute (WPM).
What changes when the timer changes?
These examples all represent the same pace. A longer test requires more correct characters to earn the same score.
| Test length | Correct characters | WPM |
|---|---|---|
| 30 seconds | 100 | 40 |
| 1 minute | 200 | 40 |
| 3 minutes | 600 | 40 |
Timed a passage yourself? Enter your counts and elapsed time in the WPM Calculator.
Why can a clean final passage show less than 100% accuracy?
Suppose the passage says cat. You type car, press Backspace, and enter t. All three letters in your final text match, but only three of your four letter entries were correct. Your accuracy for that sequence is 75%.
- Errors made includes the incorrect r, even after you fix it.
- Uncorrected errors counts mistakes still in the text when time ends. In this example, that count is zero.
How do you compare two results fairly?
Use the same keyboard, duration, and difficulty for both attempts. Record WPM and accuracy together. If your WPM stays level but you make fewer errors, you have kept your pace while typing more precisely.
Try a 1-Minute Typing Test and write down both numbers before restarting.
