By Abhishek · Reviewed by The Ai-TypingTest Editorial Team · Last reviewed
At a glance
| Required speed | Commonly 50–60+ WPM for secretaries; lower for call handlers |
|---|---|
| Duration | A dictation file, often 5–15 minutes |
| Errors allowed | High accuracy expected; spelling and punctuation count |
| Scoring | Words per minute and word accuracy against the recording |
| Test format | Audio transcription with pause/rewind controls |
| Who uses it | Medical and legal secretaries, NHS admin, police and 999 call handlers, transcriptionists |
Key facts
- Audio typing is the standard skill test for UK medical and legal secretaries.
- You control playback yourself, so the test measures listening and accuracy as well as speed.
- Employers usually judge the finished document: spelling, punctuation and layout count.
- NHS and legal adverts state the requirement in the person specification — check it on the advert. [source]
How the real test works
You are given a recording — usually a letter, clinic note or report — and a set time to produce an accurate typed version. At the assessment centre you will have headphones and either a foot pedal or keyboard shortcuts. Some employers score speed; most score the accuracy and presentation of the final document.
- Esc plays and pauses — like lifting your foot off a transcription pedal.
- Tab replays the current sentence.
- Choose Slow, Normal or Fast playback before you start. Real tests usually play at normal speech rate.
- The voice comes from your device, so the accent varies by browser. Chrome and Edge usually offer a British voice.
How scoring works
Your transcript is compared word by word with the script; substituted, missing and extra words are errors. “Clean verbatim” ignores case and punctuation; “strict verbatim” counts them, which is closer to how a secretary's letter is marked.
| Words typed in 4 minutes | 220 (1,100 characters) |
|---|---|
| Gross WPM | 1,100 ÷ 5 ÷ 4 = 55 |
| Word errors | 4 (1 per minute) |
| Net WPM | 55 − 1 = 54 |
| Accuracy | (220 − 4) ÷ 220 ≈ 98% |
How to pass
Most people who type within 10 WPM of the target can close the gap in a week; a bigger gap takes about a month of 15–20 minutes a day. Take one baseline run on the audio test above first, then follow the plan that fits your gap.
7-day plan (you are within about 10 WPM)
- Day 1 — baseline. Three runs at the real test length. Write down your middle score and error count, not the best one.
- Days 2–3 — accuracy first. Practise at a pace where you make almost no errors. On a test that counts errors, clean typing at 50 WPM beats fast typing with mistakes. Use an AI lesson to drill the keys your results flag as weak.
- Days 4–5 — endurance. Two full-length runs a day. Speed usually drops in the final minute; aim to hold your pace to the end.
- Day 6 — test conditions. Use headphones, the normal playback speed and the hotkeys only — no mouse.
- Day 7 — mock test. One run, first thing, no warm-up. That is the number to trust.
30-day plan (bigger gap, or starting out)
- Week 1 — technique. Learn or relearn touch typing on the touch typing test and the finger chart. Expect your speed to dip.
- Week 2 — accuracy. Daily 1-minute runs at 97%+ accuracy; slow down whenever you drop below.
- Week 3 — speed. Short bursts 5–10 WPM above your comfortable pace (try 60 WPM), then one run at the real test length.
- Week 4 — rehearsal. Every other day, a full mock test in exam format. Track your middle score; when it clears 50 WPM three times in a row, you are ready.
Full method: the 30-day typing improvement plan and how to type faster. Practise little and often — 15 minutes a day beats two hours at the weekend.
Test-day checklist
- Use the kind of keyboard you will test on — a laptop keyboard and a desktop keyboard feel different.
- Check the keyboard layout. On a UK keyboard @ and " are swapped compared with a US one — see UK vs US layout.
- Bring or ask for headphones, and find the pause and rewind controls before the clock starts.
- Warm up for five minutes beforehand — a short run on this page is enough.
- Read the instructions twice: whether Backspace works and how errors are counted change your strategy.
- Keep a steady pace. A rhythm you can hold for the whole test beats a fast start that fades.
How this compares with other United Kingdom typing tests
Requirements vary widely by role — from around 25–35 WPM for call handling to 70+ WPM for transcription. Rows marked “Typical range” are common posting figures, not official standards.
| Duration | Errors | Basis | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administrator / clerical | 40–60 WPM | 5–10 min | ~95% accuracy | Copy | Typical range |
| Medical secretary (NHS / private) | 50–60 WPM | Dictated letter | High accuracy | Audio | Typical range |
| NHS admin / ward clerk | 35–50 WPM | Varies | High accuracy | Copy + audio | Typical range |
| Legal secretary | 50–70 WPM | Dictation + copy | Very high accuracy | Copy + audio | Typical range |
| Police / 999 call handlerSet by each force | 25–35 WPM | Short | Accuracy on details | Copy + audio | Typical range |
| Civil Service AO/EO (where tested)Most roles don't test typing | 40–50 WPM | ~5 min | Accuracy | Copy | Typical range |
| Audio typist / transcriptionist | 50–70 WPM | Audio file | High accuracy | Audio | Typical range |
| Data entry clerk | 8,000–12,000 KPH | 3–5 min | Field accuracy | Data entry | Typical range |
| PA / executive assistant | 55–65 WPM | 5–10 min | High accuracy | Copy + audio | Typical range |
| Receptionist | 30–45 WPM | Short | Accuracy | Copy | Typical range |
Frequently asked questions
Typing from a recording rather than from text. You listen through headphones, pause and rewind with a pedal or hotkeys, and produce an accurate typed document.
Medical and legal secretary roles commonly ask for 50–60+ WPM with high accuracy. Call handler roles ask less but need accuracy on details.
Usually on the accuracy and presentation of the finished document — spelling, punctuation and layout — and sometimes on speed.
Not to practise. Assessment centres usually provide one or allow keyboard shortcuts.
Most people type 10–20% slower from audio because they pause to listen. Practise both.
Both. Secretarial and transcription roles favour audio typing; general admin roles usually use copy typing.
Sources
Requirements change. Always confirm the speed, duration and error rules in the official job posting or exam notice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us — we review every requirement quarterly (methodology).
- NHS Jobs — search admin and medical secretary adverts — NHS Jobs (checked October 18, 2026)
- Civil Service Jobs — Administrative Officer and Executive Officer adverts — GOV.UK (checked October 18, 2026)
Related tests and guides
More tests for this market: UK Typing Tests · Every requirement in one table: typing requirements by job