How words per minute is calculated
A "word" is five characters including spaces, which is the standard convention — otherwise a test full of short words would score higher than one full of long ones. Errors are subtracted, so accuracy is part of the score rather than a separate number.
Which is why raw speed and net speed diverge sharply for fast, careless typists. Ninety words a minute at 90% accuracy is slower in practice than seventy at 99%, because corrections cost more than they save.
What is actually normal
Around 40 words a minute is average for an adult who uses a computer daily. Sixty to seventy is competent professional speed. Above 100 is genuinely fast and unusual.
Improvement comes from accuracy rather than effort: typing more slowly until mistakes stop, then letting speed return, works far better than trying to go faster. Looking at the keyboard is the ceiling most people never get past.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a word?
Five characters including spaces — the standard convention, so that short and long words score comparably.
What is a good typing speed?
Around 40 is average, 60–70 is competent professional speed, above 100 is genuinely fast.
How do I get faster?
Slow down until the mistakes stop, then let speed return. Corrections cost more time than careful typing does.
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