THE TYPECRAFT FIELD NOTES

What your WPM really means.

Understand speed, accuracy, and why test settings matter.

Words per minute, or WPM, is a standardized estimate of typing speed. One standard word is five characters, including spaces and punctuation. It does not mean a count of the actual dictionary words you typed.

A simple example

If you correctly match 250 characters in 60 seconds, your Typecraft score is 50 WPM: 250 ÷ 5 ÷ 1 minute. If that same text takes two minutes, your score is 25 WPM. Raw WPM uses the total characters remaining in the input, including mistakes.

How Typecraft scores a test

• WPM: characters matching the prompt in the final input, divided by five, divided by elapsed minutes.
• Raw WPM: all characters remaining in the input, divided by five, divided by elapsed minutes.
• Accuracy: correct character attempts divided by all character attempts. Backspace does not remove an earlier mistake from this calculation.

The timer begins on your first text input. Timed tests end at the selected duration. Word, passage, code, and custom tests end when your input reaches the prompt length. Unfinished sessions are not added to your history.

Compare like with like

A 15-second test of familiar words is different from a two-minute passage with capitals and punctuation. Both are useful, but neither should be compared directly to the other. Keep the duration, vocabulary, device, and punctuation settings consistent when tracking improvement.

What is a good score?

The useful answer depends on what you need to type. Rather than treating a single number as a ranking of ability, take several tests with the same settings and watch your own trend. For a job assessment, practice the exact format and requirements provided by the employer.

These are self-practice results, not verified certificates or a secure assessment. Browser tools, autocorrect, and input methods can affect the results. A physical keyboard with correction suggestions disabled gives a more comparable practice experience.