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Net WPM vs gross WPM: the speed your typing test really measures
You type 60 words per minute and still fail a test that asks for 40. How? Because the speed on your screen and the speed the examiner counts are often two different numbers.
The two numbers
Gross WPM counts everything you typed, right or wrong, divided by the minutes taken. Net WPM counts only what was typed correctly, so every mistake lowers it.A worked example
Say you type for one minute and produce 60 words, but 12 of them contain mistakes. Your gross speed is 60 WPM. Your net speed, counting only the 48 correct words, is 48 WPM. That is the number that matters when a test asks for 40, 35 or 30.
Different exams, different scoring
Not every body scores the same way. Some set a maximum share of mistakes: for example a Delhi High Court typing test allows mistakes of up to 3 percent of the words typed, and a Punjab SSSB test allows at most 8 percent. Some set an accuracy figure, such as New York State Office Assistant postings that ask for 96 percent accuracy. Others count errors in a fixed time, such as 3 or fewer errors in a five-minute test for one US federal clerical post.
The lesson is the same everywhere: accuracy is part of the score. Always read how your exam is judged.
What to do with this
Practise for net speed, not for the biggest number on screen. If your net speed is far below your gross speed, slow down slightly: a calmer pace usually raises net speed within a week. Drill the words you miss, because a small set of repeated mistakes is usually responsible for most lost points.
TypingNonStop has exam passages with the pass marks of real government and office jobs, net WPM, weak-word drills, lessons and games.
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Frequently asked questions
Is net WPM always lower than gross WPM?
Yes, or equal if you made no mistakes, because mistakes are subtracted or excluded.
Which one should I practise?
Practise net WPM. It is the safer measure because it already includes accuracy.
Does every exam use net speed?
No. Some use maximum mistake percentages or accuracy levels. Read the notice for your exam.