Mavis Beacon Typing Test: How Speed and Accuracy Are Measured

Mavis Beacon Install Guide: from Download to First Typing Lesson

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A typing test is the quickest way to see where you stand, and it is one of the oldest parts of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, often shortened to MB typing. Early editions already ran timed tests and kept graphs of your speed over time.

This guide explains what a typing test measures, how the tests in the program work, and how to use your results to plan practice instead of just chasing a number.

What a Typing Test Measures

Most typing tests report two figures: speed and accuracy.

  • Speed is given in words per minute (WPM). By common convention a word is counted as five characters, spaces and punctuation included, so 250 characters typed in one minute is 50 WPM.
  • Gross or raw speed counts everything you typed. Net or adjusted speed takes your errors into account, which makes it a better picture of usable typing.
  • Accuracy is the share of characters you typed correctly.

Different programs subtract errors in slightly different ways, so compare results from the same test rather than across different websites and apps.

How Tests Work in Mavis Beacon

Mavis Beacon has used the same basic ideas for decades. A 1989 review in START magazine described them clearly:

  • Timed tests record your words per minute and the number of errors.
  • Your raw speed is lowered for each error, which gives an adjusted WPM.
  • Untimed tests focus on the problem keys the program has spotted. Mistakes trigger a beep and appear in red.
  • Graphs show your speed and how well you find certain keys over time, and the program could print a report card.

The program's help file also describes on-screen meters that show your current speed during lessons, with bars for accuracy and adjusted speed. Completing lessons and tests can earn certificates. Details vary between editions, but these core measures stay the same.

Taking Your First Test

Your first test is a baseline, not a verdict. To get a fair reading:

  • Sit comfortably with your fingers on the home row before you start.
  • Type at a pace you can keep without looking at the keyboard.
  • Do not stop to fix every mistake unless the test asks you to; keep going and let the score show the errors.
  • Write down your adjusted WPM and accuracy, or let the program keep them in your profile.

Reading Your Results

Look at accuracy first. If it is low, raw speed is misleading, because every error costs time to fix in real writing. A large gap between raw and adjusted WPM tells you the same thing: slow down a little and the adjusted figure usually rises.

Next, check which keys cause the most trouble. The program uses these weak keys to shape the lessons that follow, so the test feeds straight into practice.

A single short test can vary a lot from one attempt to the next. For a steadier reading, take two or three tests in a row and note the middle result, together with the date. Progress is much easier to see over several weeks than from one day to the next, and a dip after a tiring day is normal.

A Simple Routine Between Tests

  • Practise in short sessions on most days rather than once a week.
  • Work through the lessons the program suggests after each test.
  • Use the typing games as a break; our article on Mavis Beacon game modes explains which ones help most.
  • Repeat the same test after a week or two and compare adjusted WPM, not raw speed.

For a longer practice schedule, see setup tips and practice plans. If you want to try the program without installing it, read about the online version, and for background on the program itself, see Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing.