Words Per Minute Test: Calculate Your WPM and Improve Typing Speed

A words per minute test (WPM test) tells you how fast you can type while staying accurate. If you write emails, essays, captions, or SEO drafts all day, knowing your WPM helps you estimate how long writing tasks really take.

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Quick answer

A WPM test measures how many standardized words you can type in one minute. In most typing tests, one word is treated as 5 characters (including spaces and punctuation), so WPM is basically (characters typed / 5) / minutes.

For a reliable baseline: take a 3-minute test, not just 1 minute.
Accuracy matters: a slightly lower WPM with fewer mistakes often wins in real work.
Rough benchmark: many typing sites cite around 40 WPM as average, while research datasets often show averages in the low-50s depending on the population and test text.
Heads up: benchmarks and scoring rules vary by test and can change, so check the test provider's help center for the latest.

What a words per minute test actually measures

Most tools show at least two numbers:

Gross WPM: your raw speed before penalties.
Net (or adjusted) WPM: your speed after accounting for mistakes (often by subtracting errors per minute).

You will often see an accuracy percentage too. If your accuracy is low, your net WPM usually drops, and your real-world output takes longer because you spend time fixing errors.

WPM is also used for reading and speaking pace, but when people search for a 'words per minute test' they usually mean typing speed.

Related tools on this site: Word count and Character count basics.

What is a good WPM score

Good depends on what you do. A customer support rep may value consistent accuracy, while a court reporter or competitive typist optimizes for speed.

Typing WPM	What it feels like	Typical fit	Next focus
0-25	Hunt-and-peck, frequent pauses	New typists, occasional typing	Finger placement and accuracy
26-40	Comfortable on simple text	Students, everyday office work	Reduce backspaces, build rhythm
41-60	Steady, productive pace	Most knowledge work	Consistency on punctuation and numbers
61-80	Fast and confident	Heavy writing, support, ops	Accuracy under pressure, harder passages
81+	Very fast	Specialized roles, competitive typing	Endurance and error control

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How to take a words per minute test

Choose a length: 1 minute is quick, but 3 minutes is better for a stable score. Use 5 minutes if you want to test endurance.
Set your conditions: same keyboard, same chair, same time of day if you are tracking progress.
Warm up: type for 60 seconds before you start so your fingers are not cold.
Type normally: do not sprint at the start. Smooth speed beats spikes.
Prioritize accuracy: if the test allows backspace, fix obvious mistakes, but do not panic-correct every typo.
Record the right metric: track net WPM (or corrected WPM) plus accuracy, not just gross WPM.

How WPM is calculated

Most typing tests standardize word length to 5 characters. A common formula is:

Gross WPM = (characters typed / 5) / minutes

If you typed 300 characters in 1 minute, that is (300 / 5) / 1 = 60 WPM.

Many tests also compute an adjusted score, often described as:

Net WPM = Gross WPM - (errors / minutes)

Example: 60 gross WPM with 6 uncorrected errors in a 1-minute test can show as 54 net WPM.

Some official exams use their own variations (gross vs net words, or keystroke-based formulas), so always read the scoring notes for the specific test you take.

Why your score changes from test to test

Text difficulty: simple words vs punctuation-heavy passages.
Rules: whether backspace is allowed, and how errors are counted.
Device: laptop vs mechanical keyboard vs mobile.
Autocorrect: relevant on phones, rarely on desktop tests.
Focus and fatigue: your first minute can be very different from minute four.

Mistakes to avoid

Chasing gross WPM: speed without accuracy is usually slower overall.
Changing everything at once: do not compare scores across different keyboards or layouts.
Over-correcting: constant backspacing can tank your rhythm.
Ignoring weak keys: numbers, apostrophes, and hyphenated words often cause the biggest slowdowns.

A simple 7-day plan to improve WPM

Day 1: take two tests (1 minute and 3 minutes) and write down net WPM + accuracy.
Day 2: practice home row and common bigrams for 10 minutes.
Day 3: do a punctuation drill (commas, periods, apostrophes) for 10 minutes.
Day 4: type a paragraph you have never seen before, focusing on 97%+ accuracy.
Day 5: do one 5-minute test to build endurance, then review your most common errors.
Day 6: repeat Day 2, but slightly faster while keeping accuracy steady.
Day 7: retake the 3-minute test under the same conditions as Day 1 and compare net WPM.

If your writing work includes strict space constraints, practice with real tasks too, like drafting a caption then checking it against Social character limits or tightening snippets using Meta description length.

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FAQ

What does WPM mean in typing

WPM means words per minute. In typing tests, a 'word' is usually standardized to 5 characters (including spaces and punctuation) so results are comparable across different text.

What is a good WPM for a job

Many office roles are comfortable at 40+ WPM with strong accuracy, while heavy typing roles often prefer higher. Always check the job listing, because requirements vary widely.

Is 60 WPM fast

For most people, 60 WPM is a strong, productive pace, especially if accuracy stays high on punctuation and numbers.

Why is my WPM higher on short tests

One-minute tests can inflate results because you can sprint without fatigue. Three-minute tests usually give a more stable number.

How do I increase WPM without making more mistakes

Raise accuracy first, then speed up slowly. The biggest gains usually come from eliminating hesitation on your weakest keys and keeping a steady rhythm.

What is a normal speaking WPM

In conversation, English speech is often around 150 WPM on average, but pacing depends on context, audience, and clarity goals.

Next step if you publish what you type

Typing faster is great, but publishing faster can increase the risk of accidental duplication (especially if you are using templates, guest posts, or AI-assisted drafts). A lightweight habit that protects your site is scanning important pieces before they go live.

If you want one simple workflow, use Originality.ai for a quick check: it can scan drafts for AI signals and plagiarism, which is helpful when you are shipping more content. Try it here: scan a draft for AI and plagiarism before publishing.

Note: AI and plagiarism detectors are not perfect and can produce false positives, so treat results as a signal, not a verdict.

Conclusion

Take a 3-minute words per minute test, track net WPM and accuracy for a week, and practice the specific keys that slow you down. Small daily sessions beat occasional marathons.