Before day one
Place your fingers on the home row: A S D F under the left hand, J K L ; under the right, thumbs over the Space bar. This drill gives you 30 words that use only A S D F G H J K L, so you can learn finger positions before the rest of the keyboard gets in the way. Your homerow scores are kept in their own history, separate from the full passage.
Your first week
| Day | Practice | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Three home row runs, as slow as you need | Learn where each finger sits |
| 2 | Three home row runs | Fewer glances at the keys |
| 3 | Four home row runs | Accuracy of 95 percent or better |
| 4 | Three home row runs, then one full passage | Notice which other keys slow you down |
| 5 | Three home row runs at an even pace | A steady rhythm, no bursts |
| 6 | Two home row runs, two full passages | Keep your accuracy on the passage |
| 7 | One easy run of each | Compare averages in Your scores |
The full passage is the main typing test. It uses the whole keyboard, so expect it to feel much harder than the drill. That is fine.
Accuracy targets
Your score is speed multiplied by accuracy, but in the first week, read the accuracy figure before anything else. A run at 20 WPM with 95 percent accuracy scores 19, while 24 WPM at 80 percent scores the same 19 and teaches your fingers the wrong keys. Slow and clean wins at this stage. If accuracy drops below your target, slow down on the next run rather than trying harder.
Common beginner mistakes
- Looking down. Every glance breaks your reading. Feel for the bumps on F and J instead.
- Two-finger habits. Using one finger per hand feels quick at first but caps your speed later.
- Pressing too hard. A light touch is enough. Hammering the keys tires your hands.
- Drifting from home. Fingers wander after a reach. Bring them back every time.
- Rushing after a mistake. Speeding up to make up time causes the next mistake. Breathe and keep the pace.
- Practicing once a week. Short daily sessions build the skill faster.
After the first week, keyboard typing practice shows how to add the top and bottom rows one layer at a time.