How to use this test
It times you from the first keystroke and counts correct characters, so accuracy and speed are the same measurement seen from two angles.
- Click into the text area and start typing. The timer starts on your first keystroke, not on the page load.
- Type the passage as it appears rather than from memory. Backspacing to fix a mistake means the corrected character is counted correctly.
- Read both numbers at the end: words per minute and accuracy. Accuracy is the one to fix first.
- Repeat on a different passage if you are testing a claim. One sample on an unfamiliar text is a snapshot, not a measurement.
- Use your own keyboard, in your normal position. A test on an unfamiliar laptop understates what you can do.
A worked example: 200 characters in one minute
The convention is five characters to a word, spaces included. Two hundred correct characters in one minute is 200 ÷ 5, or 40 words per minute.
Now the same minute with mistakes. If you typed 200 characters and 180 of them were correct, the speed is 180 ÷ 5, or 36 WPM, and accuracy is 180 ÷ 200, or 90%.
The lesson is in the gap. Twenty wrong characters cost four words per minute and ten points of accuracy, and in real work they also cost the time to find and fix them. Typing 45 WPM at 85% accuracy is usually slower end to end than 38 WPM at 98%, because every error is a pause you did not measure.
What your results mean
WPM is a rate, and it depends on the text. Formulas, unusual names, and code slow anyone down. A familiar passage inflates the number. Neither is a trick; it is why one score should never be quoted as a fixed capability.
The five-character word is a century-old convention from typing instruction, not a standard anyone enforces. It exists so that rates are comparable between people and passages, and it is disclosed here so you can reproduce the arithmetic by hand.
Accuracy matters more than it looks. At 40 WPM with 90% accuracy, one in ten characters is wrong, which on a page of prose is dozens of corrections. Most people gain more speed by slowing down until errors drop than by pushing the rate.
Treat the result as a personal benchmark. Run it again next month on the same passage and compare; that comparison is meaningful, while a single number compared with someone else's is not.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good typing speed?
For everyday computer work, ordinary competent typing sits in the range most people would call normal, and it varies enormously by occupation. This test has no grading scale, and a score is not a qualification for any job.
Why does my score drop on a second run?
Usually fatigue, an unfamiliar passage, or trying harder and making more errors. Accuracy tends to fall first when you push for speed, which is why the two numbers belong together.
Does backspacing hurt my score?
It costs you time, which lowers the rate, but it repairs accuracy. Fixing a mistake is almost always better than leaving it and racing on.
Are the passages real text?
They are written for this page, so nobody has memorised them. That keeps the test fair between runs but also means the vocabulary varies more than a paragraph you would write yourself.
Does this measure how fast I can type on a phone?
It works, but the number is not comparable with a physical keyboard. Thumb typing and touch typing are different skills, and mixing the scores in one comparison tells you nothing.
Is my typing recorded?
No. The test runs entirely in your browser and nothing you type is saved or transmitted.
Sources & references
There is no government definition of words per minute used here. The five-character word is disclosed so the arithmetic can be checked.
- CareerOneStop, resumes. Where a typing claim would sit on a resume, if it belongs there at all. It does not certify a WPM.
Last updated: November 2, 2026. Reviewed by David Liu. One sample on one passage. Not a certification.