Learn to Type Faster

Typing has now become an integral part of our everyday life. A few years back, only a handful of people i.e. those who were into data entry or professional typing were aware of the importance and the necessity of fast and accurate typing. However, with computer usage becoming a common part of our daily lives, the ability to type at a decent pace and with a good amount of accuracy has become paramount. In this article, we will learn how to type faster by making use of various typing exercises, in addition to certain typing tips and tricks. So all you tortoise-typers out there, pay attention if you want to learn to type faster.

Learn to Type Faster in Three Simple Steps
There are three basic ways by means of which you can improve upon your typing speed:

1. Typing exercises
2. Typing games and tests
3. Regular use of Internet chat applications.

Let us have a look at each of these ways in detail.

Typing Exercises
As the name suggests, these are nothing but specially designed practice exercises which are aimed at improving your finger movement, key locating ability and hand-eye coordination. There are many types of typing exercises, all of which aim at collectively achieving the above-mentioned objectives.

Here is a simple exercise that you can perform right now. Think of a proverb or better still, the lyrics of your favorite song. The objective is to type the lyrics at a good enough pace and with the highest possible amount of accuracy. Before you begin typing, make a note of how your hand placement and finger positions should be. Place your left hand on the keyboard such that your little finger rests on the 'A' key, the ring finger on 'S', the middle one on 'D' and the index finger on 'F'. Similarly, place the index finger of your right hand on 'J', the middle one on 'K', the ring finger on 'L' and the little finger on the ';' key. Most people use their thumbs for pressing the space bar, although there are quite a few individuals who prefer using their index finger for the same. Once you're clear with the finger positions, begin typing the lyrics of your favorite song. Remember to time yourself while doing so. After you've finished, examine the typed text and count the number of typing errors that you have made. Repeat this exercise a few times throughout the day. You will notice that with every repetition, your timing gets better and so does your accuracy.

Typing Games and Tests
There are a number of typing tests along with some very creatively designed typing-oriented PC games that are available on the Internet. Both aim at achieving the same objective - to help you get comfortable with the computer keyboard and thereby improve your typing skills. Google around on the Internet and you are sure to find loads and loads of such typing tests and games. These tests and games are designed for people of all ages and typing proficiencies, i.e. ranging from beginners to advanced typists. There are various difficulty levels along with interesting test and game options for you to select. Typing tests can be great fun, they are a great way of learning how to type fast, and they can be extremely addictive indeed!

Chat Applications
The reason I have mentioned chat applications is because of the regularity with which we make use of them in our daily lives. Emailing, instant messaging, online chatting, etc. have become such everyday activities for all of us, that little do we realize their potential in improving our typing skills. The fast nature of Internet chatting automatically makes us want to type faster and quicker. However, one should take care to ensure that one does not compromise on accuracy when making use of this particular option.

These were three very simple typing lessons that you should keep in mind, if you want to learn to type faster. One personal parting tip - start off slowly and focus on accuracy. Speed will automatically take care of itself.