, which are standard for high-level stenography practice due to their complex vocabulary. Curated Playlists with PDF Links Dictations 80 WPM with Shorthand Passages (YouTube) : A collection of 200+ videos , each including a to the long shorthand passage in its description. ShorthandSpeed.com 80 WPM Collection : A library of over 37 graded dictations
Shorthand dictation passages are essential for several reasons:
Pressing too hard on the paper creates friction and slows your pen down. Hold your pen lightly and let it glide effortlessly across the notepad.
Daily micro-schedule (example)
Writing every word individually slows you down. shorthand dictation passages 80 wpm pdf
As speed increases, circles become loops and straight lines become curved. Distorted outlines are impossible to transcribe. Keep your strokes small and light.
Level C (70–80 wpm; longer) 9. (120 wds) Letter of recommendation excerpt. 10. (135 wds) Conference announcement. 11. (150 wds) Policy change summary. 12. (180 wds) Interview excerpt.
If you find yourself stuck at 70 WPM and cannot quite hit the 80 WPM mark, try these tactical adjustments:
[Start Passage - Timing: 2 Minutes @ 80 WPM] , which are standard for high-level stenography practice
Scoring:
Search for classic Gregg or Pitman dictation books. Many out-of-print books from the mid-20th century are uploaded as free, high-quality PDFs containing thousands of graded passages.
Most exam boards provide as a PDF, but the audio is separate. Here are reliable sources:
Are you training for a ? (Court reporting, journalism, or administrative work?) Hold your pen lightly and let it glide
Before starting the audio, read through the passage. Identify any new, difficult, or complex words and practice their outlines separately.
For every aspiring stenographer, the journey from a beginner (40-60 words per minute) to a professional (100-120+ WPM) is paved with one crucial milestone:
Websites like StenoDict or Reddit’s r/shorthand often have user-contributed PDFs.
Once you can write the passage comfortably at 80 WPM, challenge yourself by practicing the exact same passage at 90 WPM or 100 WPM using variable audio. When you return to the original 80 WPM speed, the dictation will feel significantly slower and much easier to manage. Sample 80 WPM Dictation Passage