English typing tests use the 200-300 most frequent words in the language, which make up more than half of everything we read and write. Mastering them gives you the biggest real-world speed boost.
English keyboard tips
QWERTY is the standard layout across the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. UK keyboards move a few symbols (such as @ and ") but letters are identical.
How to type English accents and special characters
On a English keyboard layout, accented letters usually have their own keys. On a US English keyboard you have three options:
- Switch the keyboard layout. On Windows, go to Settings > Time & language > Language & region and add English. On a Mac, open System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources. Switch layouts with Win + Space (Windows) or Ctrl + Space (Mac).
- Use the US International layout on Windows. It lets you type an accent key followed by a letter, for example ' then e for é.
- Use Alt codes or the Mac Option key. See our guide to typing accents and symbols for every accented letter.
On phones, press and hold a letter to see its accented versions.
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).
Comparing your English and English speed
Most people type their strongest language fastest. Longer average word length, accented characters and less familiar spelling all reduce speed, so compare progress within the same language rather than across languages. The 168,000-typist study used English sentences, so percentiles on non-English tests are a rough guide only.
Practice modes for English
- Words: the most common English words in random order. Best for raw speed.
- Quote: real English sentences with punctuation. Best for everyday writing speed.
- Time or word count: choose a length from 15 seconds to 10 minutes, or 10 to 200 words.
Typing speed grades
| 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. |
Every way to practice on Typeri
| Mode | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Time | Random common words for 15 seconds to 10 minutes, or any custom length | Benchmarks and stamina |
| Words | A fixed number of words, 10 to 200 or custom | Quick, repeatable checks |
| Quote | Real sentences in short, medium or long passages | Everyday writing speed |
| Zen | Type anything you like with no target text; Shift + Enter to finish | Warm-ups and free writing |
| Custom | Paste any text: a speech, an article or job vocabulary | Practicing exactly what you type at work |
| Code | Real code in 17 programming languages with auto-indent | Programmers |
| 10-key | Numeric keypad drills scored in keystrokes per hour | Data entry and accounting |
Add punctuation or numbers to time and words tests, switch between 12 languages, and open the settings to change text size, show an on-screen keyboard, add a pace caret or stop on errors.
More questions
How many words is a English typing test? At the average speed of 52 WPM you will type about 52 words. At 40 WPM about 40 words, and at 80 WPM about 80 words.
How accurate is the English typing test? 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.
Words in this test
The test uses frequent English words such as the, be, of, and, a, to, in, he, have, it, that, for, they, with, as, not, on, she, at, by, this, we, you, do.
Need accented letters? See our guide to typing accents and symbols.
Other languages
Frequently asked questions
Is the English typing test free?
Yes. The English typing test is free with no account. Results are saved in your browser.
Why is my English WPM lower than my English WPM?
Word length, accents and keyboard layout all change speed between languages. Compare progress within the same language.