Abstract: The disclosed System enables a small virtual keyboard on a touch-screen to be used to enter a word by contacting the keyboard on or near the key of the first letter, tracing through or near the key of each letter in sequence, and lifting the stylus from the keyboard in the vicinity of the key of the last letter. The input pattern is matched by scoring it against words in a database which includes an indication of relative frequency. A correctly spelled word is matched even when the input pattern corresponds to an incorrect spelling of a word. Words are ranked according to a score calculated from the weighted distances from each associated key to determined input path points, further weighted by the frequency of use and by other characteristics of the input path. Alternate word choices are presented to the user in a manner to minimize distraction.