Typing Speed Test Ten Seconds

Type the proverbs for ten seconds; the clock starts with your first key.

Type each word and press space after it. The clock starts on your first key. Actions speak louder than words. A problem shared is a problem halved. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. A rolling stone gathers no moss. You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Make hay while the sun shines. Rome wasn't built in a day.

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10 seconds of typing. Words per minute is correct characters divided by five; accuracy is correct keystrokes out of all keystrokes.

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All 54 proverbs

Short proverbs: 5 or 6 words 23

A rolling stone gathers no moss. Someone who keeps moving on never settles, which is read as a warning by some and as praise by others.
A stitch in time saves nine. A small repair made early spares a much larger one later.
A watched pot never boils. Waiting feels longer when you stand and watch for the thing to happen.
Actions speak louder than words. What a person does shows what they mean more reliably than what they say.
All that glitters is not gold. Something that looks valuable may turn out not to be.
Birds of a feather flock together. People who are alike tend to keep each other's company.
The early bird gets the worm. Whoever arrives first has the best chance.
Empty vessels make the most noise. Those who know least often talk the most.
Every cloud has a silver lining. A bad situation has something good in it somewhere.
Every dog has its day. Everyone gets a moment of success at some point.
Fine words butter no parsnips. Flattery and promises get nothing done.
Make hay while the sun shines. Use a favorable moment while it lasts.

Show all 54 proverbs (42 more)

Short proverbs: 5 or 6 words, continued

Many hands make light work. A job shared among many people is soon done.
Mighty oaks from little acorns grow. Great things can start from something very small.
One good turn deserves another. A kindness should be answered with a kindness.
Out of sight, out of mind. What is no longer nearby is soon forgotten. The line has a comma.
Rome wasn't built in a day. Anything large or impressive takes a long time to make. The line has an apostrophe.
Strike while the iron is hot. Act on a chance promptly, while conditions favor it.
Too many cooks spoil the broth. A task goes badly when too many people try to direct it.
Two heads are better than one. Two people working together can solve what one alone may not.
Variety is the spice of life. Change and difference are what keep life interesting.
Well begun is half done. A good start carries a task a long way toward its end.
You're never too old to learn. New things can be learned at any age. The line has an apostrophe.

Medium proverbs: 7 or 8 words 19

A friend in need is a friend indeed. The friend who helps when you are in trouble is a true one.
A miss is as good as a mile. Failing by a little is still failing.
A picture is worth a thousand words. An image can describe a thing better than a long explanation.
A problem shared is a problem halved. A difficulty is easier to solve once you have told someone about it.
A stopped clock is right twice a day. Even an unreliable source is correct now and then, by accident.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. People differ in what they find beautiful.
The darkest hour is just before the dawn. Things are at their worst just before they improve.
Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. Do not rely on a good result until it has actually happened. The line has two apostrophes.
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Do not pick faults in something you were given. The line has an apostrophe.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Do not stake everything you have on a single plan. The line has an apostrophe.
The first step is always the hardest. Starting is the most difficult part, and it gets easier after.
Half a loaf is better than none. Getting part of what you wanted beats getting nothing.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Leave alone what already works well enough. The line has two apostrophes and a comma.
One swallow does not make a summer. A single sign is not enough to show a trend.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Follow the customs of the place you are in. The line has a comma and capitals inside the line.
Where there's a will there's a way. Someone who wants a thing strongly enough will find a means to do it. The line has two apostrophes.
You can't judge a book by its cover. Outside appearance alone is no reliable guide to what a thing is like. The line has an apostrophe.
You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. Achieving something worthwhile costs some loss along the way. The line has an apostrophe.
You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Long-held habits are very hard to change. The line has an apostrophe.

Long proverbs: 9 to 11 words 12

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Something certain is worth more than the chance of something bigger.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. A group is limited by its least able member.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Even the longest undertaking has a small first move.
The apple does not fall far from the tree. Children tend to resemble their parents.
Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Doing a little good is worth more than complaining about how things are.
The grass is always greener on the other side. Other people's circumstances look better than your own, and often are not.
If you want a thing done well, do it yourself. Your own effort is surer than relying on someone else's. The line has a comma.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Upheaval on the surface often leaves the underlying situation as it was. The line has a comma.
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Do not delay a task that can be done now.
People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Do not criticize others for a fault you share. The line has an apostrophe.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. You can only call a thing a success once it has been tried.
You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Politeness persuades people more easily than rudeness does.

How this list was compiled: Fifty-four traditional English proverbs of five to eleven words, one wording of each, chosen from the list of English proverbs at https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:English_proverbs, read 2026-10-02 (the list held about 1,600 entries that day). Each line is the title of an entry there with a capital letter and a period added. The meaning beside each line is written for this page and was checked against the definition in that entry, or in the main entry it points to, the same day. Proverbs are traditional sayings with no author to credit; Wiktionary's own text is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 and none of it is reproduced. Words and characters were counted; a standard word is five characters. Licence: own work (the proverbs themselves are traditional sayings)

How it works

This typing speed test, ten seconds long, gives you English proverbs to type, one after another, and then your words per minute and accuracy. The sayings run from five words to eleven, so the reading takes a glance.

Read the full guide

Typing speed test 10 seconds: how a run goes

1. Click the typing box. The clock waits for your first key. 2. Type each proverb, capital letter and period included. 3. Finish one early and carry on with the next. When the ten seconds end, read your WPM and accuracy.

What ten seconds measures

A burst. At 40 WPM ten seconds is about 33 characters, one short proverb. At 60 WPM it is 50, and at 90 WPM it is 75, more than the longest line here.

In More options, pick Short proverbs: 5 or 6 words under Practise for lines that fit one run.

Questions and answers

How is a 10 second typing test scored?

Speed is your correct characters divided by five, then multiplied by six to make a per-minute figure. The capital and the period count. Accuracy is shown beside it, and your best is kept in this browser only.

Is a ten second score the same as a one minute score?

No. Ten seconds is one burst, with no time to tire, and one slip moves the figure a long way. Compare a result only with your other ten second runs.

How many words can you type in 10 seconds?

It follows from your speed: divide your words per minute by six. 40 WPM is between six and seven standard words of five characters, 60 WPM is ten and 90 WPM is fifteen.

What do I type?

English proverbs, one after another, such as A stitch in time saves nine. There are 54 sayings in three lengths, and each has its meaning in the list below the test.