Do you want to know how efficient your communication skills are? Words per minute (or KPM) is a unit that can show how quickly you can form and recognize words when communicating. If you want to know how fast you're typing, speaking, or reading, the formula used is generally the same: (# words)/(# minutes).
Step
Method 1 of 3: Counting Words Per Minute while Typing
Step 1. Take an online typing test for quick results
One of the easiest ways to find out how many words you can type in a minute is to visit an online typing test site. Online typing test sites are quite easy to find, just search for “typing test” in your browser's search engine. Although there are quite a number of sites that provide typing test programs, the way they work is not much different. You must type the word presented within the specified time range. After that, the program will analyze the results to find out your KPM amount.
- One online typing test site is 10fastfingers.com. The test is quite simple. You need to type the word shown on the screen, press the space bar to type the next word, then repeat until the time is up.
- In addition to knowing the number of KPM, this typing test will also display the number of mistakes you made and show your typing score.
Step 2. Open a word processing program on the computer and then turn on the timer
You can also calculate the number of KPM when typing manually. You will need a word processing program (such as Microsoft Word or Notepad), a timer or stopwatch, and sample text that you can copy.
- Set the timer to the time you want (generally, the longer the test time, the more accurate the results will be)
- Make sure the sample text used is long enough so you don't finish before the time runs out,
- If you don't have a word processing program installed on your computer or device, you can use a word processing program from Google by visiting drive.google.com.
Step 3. Turn on the timer then start typing
Once you're ready, start the timer, then start copying the sample text that has been prepared. Copy the sample text as accurately as possible. If you make a mistake typing a certain word, fix it quickly. However, you don't need to correct a word that has already been copied. Keep copying the sample text until the time is up. Stop immediately when time runs out.
Step 4. Divide the number of words you typed successfully by the number of minutes
The way to calculate the number of KPM is quite easy. Divide the number of words you managed to copy by the number of minutes. The result of this calculation is the number of your KPM when typing.
- Most word processing programs have a "word count" feature, so you don't have to count the word count manually.
- For example, you managed to type 102 words in 1 minute and 30 seconds. To find the number of KPMs, you have to divide 102 by 1, 5, and the result is 68 KPM.
Method 2 of 3: Knowing the Number of Words Per Minute while Reading
Step 1. Use an online reading speed test
If you want to find out how many words you can read in one minute, use an online reading speed test for quick results. While not as many online typing tests, there are quite a few trusted reading speed test sites on the internet. Search for “Reading speed test” in the search engine of the browser you used to find a reading test site.
One good reading speed test site is readingsoft.com. This program will calculate the time you read a text of a predetermined length. When finished, the program will calculate your KPM amount based on how quickly you finish reading the text that has been presented
Step 2. Set up a stopwatch and copy long enough text into a word processing program
You can also find out the number of KPM reading manually. Open a word processing program on your computer or smartphone, copy 2-3 pages of text into it (choose text you've never read), then get ready to turn on the stopwatch.
- Before starting, use the word processing program's “word count” feature to find out the word count of your selected text. Take note of this number because you will need it later.
- You can visit news sites to find texts that are quite long and you haven't read before. Since articles on news sites are generally kept up to date, you don't have to wait long to find the text you need.
Step 3. Turn on the stopwatch and start reading
When ready, turn on the stopwatch and then start reading the text as usual. If you just want to know your average reading speed, there's no need to rush. If you go too fast, the results will not be accurate so it is difficult to know your daily reading speed.
Step 4. Divide the number of words by the amount of time it takes you to read the text
Stop the stopwatch when you finish reading the last word of the text. Use the same formula as before (#word/ #minute) to find out the number of your reading KPM.
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For example, if you spend 3 minutes reading an article with 1,100 words, your KPM is 1,100/3 = 366, 7 KPM.
Method 3 of 3: Knowing the Number of Words Per Minute while Pronouncing
Step 1. Prepare a stopwatch and look for the text of the speech and the number of words
Finding the number of KPM when pronouncing is more difficult than the two methods above. It's hard to find a site that can calculate the number of KPMs when speaking. However, you can calculate it manually. Copy the text of the speech (choose one you've never read and it's not too long) into a word processing program. After that, use the word processing engine's "word count" feature to find out the word count of the speech text. You'll also need a stopwatch.
You can find some historical speeches on historyplace.com. Most of the speech texts presented on this site are generally not very well known, so they are perfect for this test
Step 2. Turn on the stopwatch and start making a speech
Turn on the stopwatch and start making a speech while reading the text. Speak at the same pace as usual. If you just want to know the speed of everyday speech, there's no need to rush. Speak at a moderate pace (like you're having a conversation) and pause when you feel like it's appropriate.
Step 3. Divide the number of words of the speech text by the time you made your speech
When you're done, stop the stopwatch. You need to divide the number of words of the speech text by the time you speak to find out the number of KPM when speaking.
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For example, if you spend 5 minutes reading a speech with a total of 1,000 words, your KPM is 1,000/5 = 200 KPM.
Step 4. Use recorded conversations for more accurate results
The above method is good enough to determine the number of KPM when speaking, but is less accurate. The way we speak during speeches is quite different from the way we speak in everyday life. For example, most people will speak more slowly and clearly when giving a speech. Also, since you are reading speech from text, the above test is still a reading speed test, not a test of your natural speaking speed.
- For more accurate results, record your casual chats with friends or relatives for a long time. Count the number of words you speak manually, then divide by the number of minutes. This process is quite laborious, but the results are more accurate if you want to know your natural speaking speed.
- You can hang out with friends and tell a long, detailed story that you've told before. By doing this, you don't have to stop to remember the continuation of the story being told so that your speaking speed will be more natural.
Tips
- Once you've found the number of KPMs, multiply by 60 to find the number of words per hour.
- Remember, the text you use will affect the final result. Texts containing long and complex words will lower your KPM count. Text containing short, easy-to-read words will make your KPM number higher.
