Touch typing lesson 27: Most, common, words, 1001, -, 1500

Keys and finger movements

Keyboard layout: English US.

Word frequency range: 1001 - 1500.

A familiar word may feel easy until one awkward pair of letters interrupts the rhythm. Notice where that happens: a repeated letter, a reach to another row, or two keys handled by the same finger. Give that movement a little more time. On another attempt, see whether the hesitation has eased, even if your overall speed is much the same.

Gamification in learning touch typing

Gamification uses game elements in activities that are not games, for example adding goals and achievements to learning. In touch typing, these elements can encourage practice and make progress easier to see. Achievements are one part of the AgileFingers touch typing course. As you progress, you can set goals and strive to reach higher levels of typing speed.

Touch typing games are complete games with rules and challenges controlled by typing. They can provide a change from lessons where repeated keystrokes feel monotonous. If you enjoy the games, you can use them alongside lessons to make practice more enjoyable and keep working on your touch typing skills.

Speed goals and recorded results can turn practice into a measurable challenge. A game score also depends on the rules of that game, so compare it with your earlier results in the same activity.

Try a goal such as completing an exercise of similar length with fewer errors. In English, keep apostrophes and capitals in the target too: typing "dont" instead of "don't" is not an improvement in accuracy. Raise the speed target after you can keep the spelling intact.

Sailer and Homner's review found benefits from gamification across educational settings, with results varying by outcome and study. It was not a test of AgileFingers. A badge cannot tell which fingers you used; after a game, return to the lesson for any keys that kept causing trouble.