[Learn](/learn/) / Keys # What is a key in typing analysis? A key score tells you what happened on one button, such as A, Shift, or Space. It does not tell you whether the problem began on the way in. Compare the key with its incoming pairs before you decide what to practise. By PeakTock Updated August 17, 2026 In one minute ## A single key is the smallest useful typing unit If the same key is slow after several different letters, inspect the key itself. If only one incoming pair is slow, practise that transition instead. This distinction keeps a small problem from becoming a broad diagnosis. ## 1\. What counts as a key? A key is one physical or virtual button on your keyboard. Letter keys such as A, number keys such as 4, and control keys such as Shift and Space are all keys. A key press is the smallest event that a typing tool can study. It can show how long you take to reach a key and whether the press produces the expected character. Repeated presses show whether the result is stable or changes from one attempt to the next. __Examples of useful single-key questions__ | Key | What you can investigate | | ----- | ----------------------------------------------- | | A | Do you reach the left home row accurately? | | T | Does the upper-row reach slow your normal pace? | | Space | Does your thumb pause between words? | | Shift | Do capital letters interrupt your rhythm? | ## 2\. Why one key can feel difficult Key position changes the distance and direction of a reach. A home-row key starts under a standard touch-typing finger, while a key above, below, or at the edge needs a different path. Keyboard shape, hand position, personal technique, and layout can change that path. Position is not the full answer. A key can be easy in isolation but slow after a certain previous key. For example, H can feel normal in one word and awkward after T. This is why a single-key result is a starting point. A [bigram](/learn/bigrams/) adds the missing movement between two keys. Do not decide that a finger is weak from one bad result. Check several attempts and the key pairs that end on the same key. ## 3\. How PeakTock measures keys PeakTock has two measurement methods. The free web test uses a fixed [US-QWERTY difficulty model](/learn/typing-test-methodology/). The [Mac app methodology](/learn/mac-methodology/) learns from your own typing and scores a key from speed, accuracy, consistency, and the amount of evidence it has collected. - **Speed:** how quickly you type the key compared with your usual pace. - **Accuracy:** how often the key press is correct. - **Consistency:** how similar your timing is across attempts. - **Evidence:** how many useful observations support the result. The Mac app also uses frequent key pairs that end on the key after each pair has enough observations. This makes the key score better reflect how you use the key in real words. ## 4\. How to choose key or pair practice __Decide whether to practise the key or its incoming pair__ | What repeats | What to inspect next | Example | | -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | | The key is slow after several different keys | Inspect the single-key result and its reach. | T is slow in AT, IT, and ST. | | One incoming pair is slow | Inspect that exact two-key transition. | TH is slow, while AH and SH are not. | | The result appears once | Collect another comparable result before choosing a drill. | One missed T is not a stable target. | When the key itself repeats across contexts, use familiar words with different entry and exit movements. When only one pair repeats, move to the [bigram guide](/learn/bigrams/) and keep the original order. --- Canonical HTML: