This simple survey will tell you how left-handed you are and give you an overall score you can compare to the thousands of others who have taken the test.
You can see our analysis of the test results so far here.
So go ahead and tick the options for which hand you use for various things and see how you rate overall…
How left handed are you?
We all have our own view of whether we are left-handed or not and, ultimately, that is the the test - if you consider yourself to be left-handed then you are! That said, most people are mixed in their handedness and it is rare for people to do everything with just one hand or side of their body. Our test below will show which side you use for various tasks and how consistent you are in the use of your hands. It will also give you give you an overall score out of 100 for your level of left-handedness and you can see how you compare to other people. To get the overall score, we have weighted the various factors so, for example, writing left-handed gets a far higher weighting in the overall score than which way you hold a bat two-handed (see this page for more information on how we did this).
I am all mixed up. My first grade teacher was goingto make me go right but my mother intervened. Since I could already write she insisted I not be changed. Writing is something I never adapted to like many other tasks at which I am ambidextrous. My lefty grandmother adjusted the paper thus avoiding the pencil lead smear. I can write with a backwards slant, or make the writing stand straight and not slant at all. But if I write for very long or are in a hurry it becomes uncomfortable and the hand turns inward and the writing slants like a right hander. I am mostly right handed in sports and some tasks like ironing. I started ironing at my mothers right handed setup and I am sure I could iron left handed but the thought is a little uncomfortable. I only ever had right handed scissors available and do not ever remember having a problem with them. My grandmother however could not make the available scissors work so she used right handed scissors in her left hand resulting in a big bunion like knot on the top of her thumb. She was a seamstress so used scissor a lot. I have tried to cut with right handed scissors like she did and they just would’nt work. Late in life she found a source for left handed scissor and was thrilled. I have always preferred to cut my own hair but had trouble getting the back just right. It always sort of laid or hung sideways. I surmised it was because I had to cut from the same diraction all over. I happened upon scissors that will cut with either hand and it was a game changer. Now can cut from the back center with either hand and get good results. I remember entertaining my fellow students a few times by writing my name on the chalkboard both forwards and backwards simultaneously with both hands. Is that rare? I don’t know but others tried and noone else was ever able to do it. I don’t know if I can still do that (I am almost 71 now) but it feel like I can when I “air write”. I don’t know if it is the being part lefty but I do get confused or feel “weird” with tools, lids, water hose connections, etc. As a child and even now it never made sense when someone told me turn to the right to tighten. It seemed in my mind that turning anything as in a circular motion there was no right or left. However if I hear clockwise or counter clockwise that makes perfect sense. Because I can do most everything with either had and because my leftness sometimes confused me I say I am “ambidislexous”.
When I was young there was no left handed scissors available. I had to adapt and learn to cut right handed. Once left handed scissors were introduced I found them awkward to use.
Reading a book: I turn the pages with my right hand because I hold the book with my left hand.
Reading a newspaper, note pad: If a Newspaper, note pad, booklet etc is set in front of me on a surface I turn the pages with my left hand.
FYI: If anyone is struggling with right-handed scissors, there are left-handed scissors. Left-handed scissors have helped me so much. When I am using right-handed scissors, it cuts the slightest bit and doesn’t actually cut all the way through the plastic.
Also, I recommend titanium covered scissors. Even though they are right-handed scissors, they cut anything for anyone.
Hi
Titanium covered scissors are also available left handed 🙂
Even better – they are 25% off at the moment https://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/left-handed-titanium-coated-twin-pack-scissors
Comments on your survey:
Some of your tests are misleading and could distort the assessment:
1. Scissors are designed for right-handers, so I HAVE to use them right handed.
2. Was forced by my parents to use spoon right handed as they thought I might embarrass myself in company.
3. If you write left-handed, you HAVE to hold the phone in your right hand so that you can make notes!
Another good test: which wrist do you wear your watch on?
I wear my watch on my left wrist, but that’s only because I can’t stand anything on my right wrist.
“Seriously left handed” here…. But I’m curious about the two handed bat question. I definitely look over my right shoulder, but my right hand is on the bottom, not my left. Thoughts?
It’s a little unclear the way its worded but that means you are batting lefty. I bat right-handed and do it the opposite way.
This puts the check marks backwards on the above questions, lol
I didn’t do this naturally, but the first time I ever saw it done, I adopted it immediately. Makes so much sense!
clasp your hands quickly. Which thumb is on top? Us true lefties will have the left thumb on top
I’m seriously left handed but my right thumb was on top!
There seem to be a few tasks which are “mixed-handed.” My wife is a complete right-hander, but also clasps hands with her left thumb on top. Although I’m a “left-thumb-on-top” person, I write with my left hand but throw with my right.
Love this test! Just one comment though. Although ‘seriously left handed’ I have always used a computer mouse with my right hand. Maybe this should be one of the questions?
Same here! It’s terrible sometimes because I highlight from right to left and that doesn’t always work. And then using a mouse to draw anything in graphic design is just awful! But o so like keeping my notepad on my left side and mouse on my right!
when I was 3 years old my maid is doing iron on clothes someone knocked at the door my maid goes and left open iron at the speed, I was baby, so I took iron from left hand and put on my right hand that’s why from now I am lefty.
Well, if you picked up the iron with your left hand to start with…. ☺️
Happy lefthander’s day!
Southpauw Paul.