English typing speed and sustained output
This domain tests how many accurate words you can produce in the fixed typing time and whether your pace holds up across the whole passage. RBSE SS English Typewriting rewards steady, controlled output, not a fast burst followed by a collapse.
What counts as speed
- A word in typewriting is conventionally five keystrokes, including spaces; a 300-word passage is about 1,500 strokes.
- Gross speed is total words typed divided by time. Net speed is usually (total words − errors) divided by time, unless the Board’s rubric states a different penalty.
- Sustained output depends on rhythm: keep a constant stroke interval, use the same fingering, and avoid pausing to admire the line.
Building a steady rate
- Type in short rhythmic bursts of 8–12 strokes; do not accelerate through familiar phrases.
- Make the carriage return or line advance part of the rhythm; a slow return at every line end costs more than it appears.
- Practise passages of 5, 10 and 30 minutes; the longer duration exposes stamina problems that short drills hide.
Worked example
A typist completes 150 words in 5 minutes: gross speed is 150 ÷ 5 = 30 wpm. With 8 errors, net speed is (150 − 8) ÷ 5 = 28.4 wpm. To reach 30 net wpm at the same gross rate, the typist must cut errors to zero; alternatively, gross output must rise to about 158 words so that (158 − 8) ÷ 5 = 30. Reasoning: each error costs one word of credit, so at fixed time an error is as expensive as five keystrokes.
Traps
- Racing in the opening paragraph and then fading.
- Stopping to count words or check the clock after every line.
- Treating a one-minute drill rate as an exam pace.