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Punctuation and capital letters in typing tests: where marks are lost
Many candidates type plain sentences quickly and still lose marks on exam passages. The reason is usually punctuation and capital letters.
Why they cause trouble
Punctuation keys sit at the edge of the keyboard and are pressed by the weakest fingers. Capital letters need a coordinated shift key. A typing test compares your text with the original character by character, so a missing comma or a lower-case letter can count as a mistake.
The usual trouble spots
- Semicolons and colons in long legal sentences.
- Brackets such as (Annexure-II) or (BPS-11).
- Hyphens and slashes in codes like APP/2026/009145 or 2026-27.
- Capitalised words such as Honourable Court, Section 439 and Junior Clerk.
- Full stops in dates such as 31.01.2027 and abbreviations such as Rs.
How to practise
Practise punctuation in context, not alone. Take a paragraph that has many marks, type it slowly and check every symbol. Mark the symbols you miss and drill those sentences again. Use the opposite-hand shift habit: right shift for letters typed with the left hand and left shift for the right.
Do not guess the rules
Read the instructions of your test. Some tests ignore extra spaces, some do not. Some check capitals and some do not. Practise with the strictest rule so you are safe either way.
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
Do typing tests count punctuation?
Most compare the whole text, including punctuation, but rules differ. Read your test instructions.
Which punctuation is hardest?
Semicolons, brackets and slashes cause the most trouble for many typists because of their position.
How do I practise capitals?
Use passages with many proper names and practise the shift key on the opposite hand.