Top row typing practice for kids: a free 60-second typing test that uses only the top row keys, Q W E R T Y U I O P, so children learn the reach up from the home row. Type the letter groups as they light up, and the game shows your words per minute and accuracy when the minute is up. It is a free typing game that needs no sign-up, works with any keyboard, and comes with a printable top row finger chart and a list of 42 real words you can type with the top row alone.
Top row typing practice: test, chart and word list
Take the top row typing test above, then print the finger chart and the practice words. The first picture shows which finger reaches each top row key, the second lists real words made only of top row letters, and the last two pictures show the game while you type and the results screen.
The top row keys and the fingers that reach them
The top row is the row of letters above the home row, and on a standard QWERTY keyboard it reads Q W E R T Y U I O P. Each finger reaches up from its home key, and the left and right index fingers each cover two top row keys. The table shows each reach:
| Finger | Home row key | Top row key |
|---|---|---|
| Left pinky | A | Q |
| Left ring | S | W |
| Left middle | D | E |
| Left index | F | R and T |
| Right index | J | Y and U |
| Right middle | K | I |
| Right ring | L | O |
| Right pinky | ; | P |
The longest reaches are T for the left index finger and Y for the right, because they stretch sideways as well as up. The keyboard layout is named QWERTY after the first six letters of this row, and Wikipedia’s QWERTY article explains how it came about.
How the top row typing test works
- Press Start and click in the typing area. The clock does not begin until your first key.
- Type each highlighted letter. The text is made of groups of two to four top row letters, with a space between groups.
- Keep going for 60 seconds. The screen shows the time left, your words per minute and your accuracy.
- See your results, and try again to beat your best on this device.
The groups are random, so no two tests are the same. With all ten top row letters, there are 11,100 possible groups of two to four letters, compared with 2,793 on the home row, so the top row test is much less predictable and trains the fingers rather than the memory.
Top row words: real words from Q W E R T Y U I O P
Many real words use only top row letters, and they make good practice once the letter groups feel easy. Here are 42 of them, by length:
| Length | Words | The words |
|---|---|---|
| 2 letters | 1 | we |
| 3 letters | 13 | out, pet, pie, pot, put, tie, tip, top, toy, try, wet, yet, you |
| 4 letters | 18 | peer, pity, poet, pour, pure, quit, riot, ripe, root, rope, tire, tree, true, weep, were, wipe, wire, your |
| 5 letters | 7 | equip, power, quiet, quote, route, tower, write |
| 6 letters | 1 | pretty |
| 7 letters | 1 | require |
| 10 letters | 1 | typewriter |
The longest common word that uses only the top row is “typewriter”, all ten letters, which is a nice fact about the first machine the keyboard was made for. Wikipedia’s typewriter article tells the story of those machines.
Top row reach drills
Practice each reach by pairing the home key with the top key above it, for example “fr ft fr ft” for the left index finger, and always return to the home key between letters. Do a minute of drills before the test:
- Left hand: aq sw de fr ft
- Right hand: jy ju ki lo ;p
- Both hands: frf juj ded kik sws lol aqa ;p;
Reading your top row typing results
A “word” in a typing test is five characters, so words per minute is the number of correct characters in a minute divided by five. The game uses this rule, so you can predict your score from the characters you typed:
| Words per minute | Correct characters in 60 seconds |
|---|---|
| 10 words per minute | 50 correct characters |
| 20 words per minute | 100 correct characters |
| 30 words per minute | 150 correct characters |
| 40 words per minute | 200 correct characters |
| 50 words per minute | 250 correct characters |
Accuracy matters more than speed at this stage. Aim for 90 percent or more before trying to go faster, because speed comes from smooth finger paths, and rushing builds errors. Expect a lower speed than on the home row, since each key needs a reach.
Typing practice for kids: the top row typing practice plan
| Week | Goal | What to practice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Learn the left hand reaches | The drills above and the printable chart, 5 minutes a day |
| 2 | Learn the right hand reaches | Right hand drills, then the full top row test |
| 3 | Reach 90% accuracy | The test, slowing down to type correctly |
| 4 | Type real words | The printable word list, then the sight words typing game |
If the home row is not yet automatic, go back to home row typing practice first, because every top row reach starts from the home row.
Typing test for kids and keyboarding practice at home
A short typing test for kids every day is better than a long one now and then. Set a timer for five minutes of keyboarding practice: one minute of drills, two top row tests, and a last minute on the printable word list. Write the best score in a notebook, and celebrate improvement in accuracy as much as in speed. Sit tall, keep wrists level and let the fingers do the reaching.
Where keyboarding fits at school
| Level | What students are expected to do |
|---|---|
| Grade 3 (US) | Use technology, with keyboarding skills, to produce and publish writing (W.3.6) |
| Grade 4 (US) | Show enough command of keyboarding to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting (W.4.6) |
The Common Core grade 4 writing standards set the one-page typing goal, which an accurate top row and home row make easy to meet.
Top row typing practice: frequently asked questions
What is the top row on a keyboard?
It is the row of letters above the home row: Q W E R T Y U I O P. The number keys are above it, and most typing courses teach the letter rows first.
Which finger types which top row key?
Each finger reaches up from its home key. The left pinky types Q, the ring finger W, the middle finger E, and the left index finger R and T. On the right hand, the index finger types Y and U, the middle finger I, the ring finger O and the pinky P.
How long is the typing test?
Sixty seconds. The clock starts on your first key, and the game then shows your words per minute and accuracy.
When should kids learn the top row?
After the home row is comfortable, usually a few weeks into touch typing practice.
Is the top row typing practice free, and do kids need an account?
Yes, it is free, and no account is needed. Best scores are saved only in the browser on this device.
Does it work on phones and tablets?
Yes. Every game is built for touch first and also works with a mouse on a computer.