RBSE SS English Typewriting flashcards
RBSE SS English Typewriting · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Gross words per minute
- Total characters typed divided by five, then divided by minutes elapsed. Spaces count as characters. A 2,500-character run in 10 minutes equals 50 gross WPM.
- Net words per minute
- Gross words minus the error deduction, converted to a per-minute figure. Most typewriting exams deduct one word for each uncorrected error found in the passage.
- Standard word
- Five keystrokes, including spaces, regardless of actual word length. Speed is always computed on this five-stroke unit so passages of different vocabulary compare fairly.
- Sustained output
- Average speed across the whole timed test rather than a short burst. It falls when a candidate starts fast and tires, so even pacing protects the final score.
- Eye-lead rhythm
- Reading a few characters ahead of the fingers so the next keys are known before they are struck. It removes the pause that costs speed between words.
- Accuracy percentage
- Correct characters divided by total characters typed, multiplied by 100. Five errors in a 500-character passage gives 99.0 percent accuracy.
- Transposition error
- Two letters typed in the wrong order, such as 'teh' for 'the'. It is the most common typing fault and reflects finger sequencing rather than reach.
- Correction cost
- The keystrokes and time spent backspacing and retyping an error, typically three to five keystrokes. Corrections reduce net speed even when the final text is clean.
- Doubled letter fault
- A letter struck twice or dropped where two similar keys fall under one finger. Words like 'bookkeeper' and 'minimum' expose this weakness in accuracy drills.
- Caret insertion mark
- A proofreading mark shaped like an inverted v, placed under the line to show where a missing character, space, or punctuation mark belongs.
- Deletion mark
- A horizontal strike through a character or word showing it should be removed. It is counted as one error at the point where it appears.
- Case error marking
- A capital that should be lower case is struck through; a lower-case letter that should be capital is marked with a small 'e' or 'cap' above it.
- Missing space mark
- A small caret placed in the gap between two joined words, showing a space must be inserted. An extra space is marked with a crossed caret in the gap.
- Error deduction formula
- Net words equal gross words minus the number of errors counted, with both figures reported separately. Two faults in one word normally count as two errors.
- Home row keys
- A S D F for the left hand and J K L semicolon for the right. The F and J keys carry raised bars so the hands can be placed without looking.
- Finger column ownership
- Each finger types one vertical column of keys and returns to its home key. Index fingers also cover the inner columns, including G and H.
- Shift key rule
- Shift is pressed with the little finger of the hand opposite the letter being capitalized. Caps Lock is not used for single capitals in touch typing.
- Thumb space bar rule
- One thumb, used consistently, strikes the space bar. Alternating thumbs or using a finger produces double spaces and rhythm breaks.
- Enter and Backspace reach
- Both are struck with the right little finger from home position. The wrist stays anchored and only the finger travels, keeping the hand located.
- Verbatim transcription rule
- Type exactly what is printed, including the source's spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Do not reword, add, omit, or silently correct the copy.
- Printed numeral form
- Numbers printed as words stay words and numbers printed as figures stay figures. Converting between the two forms is an error against the copy.
- Abbreviation punctuation
- Abbreviations keep their printed full stops, including internal periods in forms like 'e.g.', 'Mr.', and 'U.S.'. The stops are typed as shown.
- End-of-line source hyphen
- A hyphen shown only because the source broke a word at its line end is not typed. Genuine compound hyphens are always typed.
- Quotation mark pairing
- Opening and closing quotation marks are typed as a pair. Check the closing mark before leaving the sentence, since omissions are hard to spot later.
- Space after punctuation
- One space follows a comma, semicolon, colon, or sentence-ending full stop. No space is placed before any of these marks.
- Paragraph indent
- Usually five spaces or one Tab at the start of each new paragraph, matched to the copy. Each paragraph also takes one Enter to begin a new line.
- Right margin control
- The right edge is governed by the margin stop and warning bell, typically sounding five to ten characters before the edge. The typist judges word carry from the bell.
- Line-end punctuation rule
- A line never begins with a comma, full stop, or closing bracket, and never ends with an opening bracket or opening quotation mark. Carry the word instead.
- Figure key fingering
- Top-row figures use the finger owning the key below: 4 and 5 with the left index, 6 and 7 with the right index, outer figures with the little fingers.
- Shifted symbol pairs
- Symbols sit above figures on the same key: exclamation with 1, at sign with 2, hash with 3, dollar with 4, percent with 5, ampersand with 7.
- Letter l versus figure one
- The letter l and the figure 1 are different characters. The figure 1 is on the top row; the letter l is on the home row and must never substitute for it.
- Pre-test machine check
- Before the start signal, confirm the carriage moves freely, margin stops are set, the bell sounds, and the ribbon advances and is not dry or reversed.