# How fast do you type? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 1, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271 "2003-03-01T00:14:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Teaira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9d8465/32.png) [@Teaira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teaira)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/21 "2003-03-01T03:54:02Z")
According to [typingmaster.com](http://typingmaster.com) test just now… (3 min test) Gross speed: 112 WPM Net speed: 109 WPM Accuracy: 97% Yay typing class last year, 9th grade. Then again… being on a computer a lot helps a bit too. =P ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/22 "2003-03-01T03:58:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by goofball \* > \*\*I could only manage 29 WPM by that test. I’m hoping that I’m not the slowest one in the world though. \*\* Sounds like me when I was first learning to touch-type. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/23 "2003-03-01T05:36:48Z")
70 wpm using the applet linked above, with zero errors. I’ve done as low as 55 and as high as 90. I think 60-70 is probably a realistic speed for me, where I am able to keep the errors down. ---
**Author:** ![tarragon918](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@tarragon918](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarragon918)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/24 "2003-03-01T08:28:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by XJETGIRLX \* > \*\*Although if I let my nails grow out I drop to about 70 wpm. \*\* I type about 80-90 wpm–but since I’ve let my nails grow a bit, my accuracy has dropped. Of course, in the age of word processing, you don’t need to worry so much about accuracy. Thankfully. 🙂 Now my nails are by no means long, but frankly I don’t see how folks with really long nails are able to type comfortably; the nails catch on the keys, or you will accidentally brush against a key that you don’t mean to hit–maybe it takes time and trial and error to get the right touch, I guess. Pinky nails give me the hardest time, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Fnoonf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f6c823/32.png) [@Fnoonf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fnoonf)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/25 "2003-03-01T08:43:01Z")
I generally test around the 110 WPM mark. 109 on the applet above. Those tests always make me nervous, though, leading to all sorts of errors which I’d probably not made had I been relaxed. So I’m allowing myself to estimate that in general it’s 115-120 WPM. My highest ever is 150 for a single sentence, 124 for a paragraph. People always think I’m joking, too. “What, you’re _actually typing something_?” “Yes.” “Get outta here.” “No, I’m really typing.” “You’re kidding.” “No. No, I’m not.” “So you’re really typing?” “Yes.” “Seriously?” “Shut up.” I thought it would bring me fame and women, but the only thing it’s brought is the aforementioned conversation played on repeat every time someone new sees me type. So now you know. If your kids are getting heavily into typing, make sure they’re aware of the risks. ---
**Author:** ![Maxxxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Maxxxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxxxie)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/26 "2003-03-01T12:38:12Z")
I was once clocked at 120wpm. That was a while back when my entire waking existence was spent chatting in IRC. It’s amazing how much your typing skills improve when you’re doing it 18 hours a day! I haven’t bothered checking my typing recently. I’d say probably 80wpm or so. I still spend most of my waking hours in front of a computer, but the stuff I do isn’t so dependent on typing speed. Max. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/27 "2003-03-01T12:59:34Z")
I took typing class in middle/high school for 2 1/2 years and NEVER got over 45 wpm. It was not motivational for me when people who had been at it a month were passing me. Thank God…no, thank the nerds for word processors, which came common during my second year at college, so I could do my own papers. Last I checked I was about 25 words per minute ---
**Author:** ![DaToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@DaToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaToad)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/28 "2003-03-01T13:37:15Z")
Suffice it to say, **goofball** and **Road Rash** are not the slowest - by a long way. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/29 "2003-03-01T14:53:36Z")
I managed to get to 45 wpm in high school typing class, and stayed there for years. But in the past year or two, between message boards, email, and NaNoWriMo, I’ve worked my way up to 60wpm. Yay, me! ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Perm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@Big\_Perm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Perm)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/30 "2003-03-01T17:20:02Z")
According to Mavis Beacon, 101wpm while under the acceptable error ratio. I think the acceptable error ratio is ~5%. ---
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271/31 "2003-03-01T17:25:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by goofball \* > \*\*I could only manage 29 WPM by that test. I’m hoping that I’m not the slowest one in the world though. \*\* Not to worry, not even by a longshot. 29 words per _day_ is a pretty good day for this cowboy with an assymptote hugging error ratio. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-type/158271.md?page=1)