Requirements
Clerk typist jobs combine typing with filing, data entry and correspondence. Most employers ask for 40 WPM or more, and some private-sector postings ask for 50-60 WPM. Expect a timed copy-typing test of 3 to 5 minutes where uncorrected errors are counted against you.
How to use this practice test
- The test runs for 5 minutes with an orange pace caret at 40 WPM.
- Results show net WPM, accuracy, errors and keystrokes per hour, so you can compare directly with the requirement.
- Aim to practice at 45 to 50 WPM with 95%+ accuracy so you have a buffer on test day.
A 4-week plan
- Week 1: Daily lessons and 3-minute tests to fix technique.
- Week 2: One full 5-minute test per day plus weak key practice.
- Week 3: Two full tests per day on paragraph text.
- Week 4: Simulate the real test: same time of day, a basic keyboard, no breaks.
Requirements can change. Always check the official job announcement for the exact rules.
How these tests are scored
Government and civil service typing tests usually measure net words per minute: gross speed minus a penalty for uncorrected errors. A common rule is that you must reach 40 WPM over 5 minutes with no more than a small number of errors, often three. Rules differ by agency and job, so always read the announcement.
| Your speed | Words typed in 5 minutes | Meets 40 WPM? |
|---|---|---|
| 30 WPM | about 150 | Not yet |
| 35 WPM | about 175 | Not yet |
| 40 WPM | about 200 | Yes |
| 45 WPM | about 225 | Yes |
| 50 WPM | about 250 | Yes |
| 60 WPM | about 300 | Yes |
| 70 WPM | about 350 | Yes |
On test day
- Arrive early and adjust the chair and keyboard. Test centers often use basic keyboards that feel different from your own.
- Read the instructions twice. Some tests require exact line breaks or forbid Backspace.
- Start steady, not fast. Five minutes is long. A smooth pace you can hold beats a fast start that fades.
- Never stop to fix old mistakes. Fix errors only in the current word.
How your score is calculated
- WPM (net words per minute) counts only correctly typed characters, divided by five (the standard length of a word, including spaces), divided by the minutes taken. Mistakes you leave in the text do not add to your speed.
- Raw WPM counts every keystroke, right or wrong. A large gap between raw and net WPM means accuracy is holding you back.
- Accuracy is the share of keystrokes that were correct when you typed them. Fixing a mistake with Backspace still counts the original error, which is how most employer tests work too.
- Consistency shows how steady your speed was from second to second. Above 80% means a smooth rhythm; below 60% usually means you pause on certain words or keys.
- Percentile and grade compare your net WPM with the 168,000 typists measured in the largest published typing study (average 51.56 WPM).
Where 40 WPM ranks
40 WPM is faster than 28% of typists in the largest published typing study. Most people who practice daily for a few weeks can reach it.
| Grade | Speed | Faster than | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 0 to 29 WPM | 0.5% of typists | Usually looking at the keys or typing with two to four fingers. Touch typing lessons give the biggest gains here. |
| Below average | 30 to 44 WPM | 14% of typists | Comfortable for messages and short emails. A few weeks of daily practice usually moves people into the average band. |
| Average | 45 to 59 WPM | 37% of typists | The speed of a typical computer user. Meets most office requirements, including the 40 WPM federal clerk-typist standard. |
| Above average | 60 to 74 WPM | 66% of typists | Faster than about two thirds of typists. Meets typical requirements for data entry, chat support and most administrative roles. |
| Fast | 75 to 89 WPM | 88% of typists | Faster than about 9 in 10 typists. Competitive for transcription, legal and executive assistant roles. |
| Expert | 90 to 119 WPM | 97% of typists | Fewer than 3 in 100 typists reach this band. Speed is no longer the limit for any common job. |
| Elite | 120+ WPM | more than 99.9% of typists | Competition-level typing. Very few people ever sustain this speed on varied text. |
More questions
How many words is a clerk typist test practice? At the average speed of 52 WPM you will type about 260 words. At 40 WPM about 200 words, and at 80 WPM about 400 words.
How accurate is the clerk typist test practice? It counts only correctly typed characters and uses the standard five-characters-per-word formula, the same method employers and typing schools use. For a reliable number, take the test three times and average the results.
Why is my score lower than on other sites? Many sites report raw speed or round up. Typeri reports net speed, so uncorrected mistakes do not count. Text difficulty also matters: punctuation, capitals and numbers all slow everyone down.
Does the test work on a phone? Yes. Tap the text to open your keyboard. Phone typing is usually slower than a physical keyboard, so compare phone results with other phone results.
How often should I test? Once or twice a day is plenty. Spend the rest of your practice time on drills for your weakest keys and letter pairs, which is where improvement comes from.
Other job tests
Frequently asked questions
What speed is required for the Clerk Typist Test?
The commonly stated requirement is 40 WPM. Always confirm in the specific job announcement.
Is this the official test?
No. This is an independent practice tool that mirrors the format. It is not affiliated with any government agency or employer.