Selecting Text

When you select text, it becomes highlighted in black. You can then move, copy or format the selected text.

• Open the file The Rule of Saint Benedict in the Word97 Training folder on the C drive. We will use this file to practice selecting text.
• Display the hidden characters. This makes it easier to see where the paragraphs etc are.
• Scroll through the file and familiarise yourself with it.

 

Selecting A Single Word

The easiest way to select a word is to double click on it.

• Double click on the word King in the last line of the first paragraph. The whole word should go black.
• Double click on the word gifts in the second paragraph. It will be selected and the word King will become deselected.
• Practice double clicking on a few more words to select them. Notice that the selection includes the space after the word.

 

Selecting an Entire Line. Paragraph or Document

Another way to select is to select a line, a paragraph, or the entire document at once.

• Move your mouse pointer to the left-hand side of the document. It will change to a white arrow pointing at the lines of text.
• Move your mouse pointer opposite the line that begins: most earnestly to bring in the second paragraph.
• Click once. The entire line will be selected.
• Move to some other lines and click once to select them.
• Move back to the line that begins most earnestly to bring in the second paragraph.
• Make sure your mouse pointer is a white arrow pointing to this line.
• Click and hold the mouse button down. Drag the mouse down the page. Notice that as you pass the other lines, they become selected.
• Release the mouse button when you get to the line starting say: It is high time. The block of lines you selected remains selected.
• Click anywhere in the text to deselect these lines.
• Move back to the left-hand of the page and select various blocks of lines in this way
• Move back to the line that begins most earnestly to bring in the second paragraph.
• Make sure your mouse pointer is a white arrow pointing to this line.
• Double click. The entire paragraph will be selected.
• Move to some other paragraphs and select them in this way.
• Move back to the line that begins most earnestly to bring in the second paragraph.
• Make sure your mouse pointer is a white arrow pointing to this line.
• Click three times, fast. The entire document will be selected.
• Click once to deselect the document.
• Move to another line and click three times to select the document again.
• Click anywhere in the writing to deselect the document.
• Another way to select the entire document is to select Edit/Select All using the Menu bar.

 

Selecting Using Click and Drag

When you want to select part of a line, or from the middle of one line to the middle of another line, you use click and drag selection.

• Move to the second page of The Rule of Saint Benedict.
• Click just in front of the word brothers in the first line of the second paragraph and drag down to the words of his heart. This section of the text will now be highlighted.
• Click anywhere to deselect this text.
• Click and drag to select from prophet to Paul in the same paragraph. You will find it helps to have all the lines you are selecting displayed on the screen before you click and drag over them.
• Click and drag to select from the Lord to our misdeeds in the paragraph below.

Sometimes you go too far in your selection. You can correct this using the Shift key.

• Click just in front of the word brothers in the first line of the second paragraph and drag down to the words become elated. This section of the text will now be highlighted.
• Hold down the Shift key and click just after the words of his heart. The selection will shorten to end at these words.
• You can also use the Shift key to correct for selection to little.
• Click just in front of the word brothers in the first line of the second paragraph and drag down to the word as his neighbour. This section of the text will now be highlighted.
• Hold down the Shift key and click just after the words of his heart. The selection will lengthen to end at these words

You can use the Shift key to adjust selections of entire lines as well.

Move to the third page of the document.

• Move your mouse pointer to the left-hand side of the document.
• Move to the line that begins Therefore we intend.
• Make sure your mouse pointer is a white arrow pointing to this line.
• Click and hold the mouse button down. Drag the mouse down the page. Notice that as you pass the other lines, they become selected.
• Release the mouse button when you get to the line that begins with commandments.
• Hold down the Shift key and, with the mouse pointer as a white arrow pointing at the line, click just after the words safeguard love. The selection will shorten to the end of this line. Because you selected whole lines, you shorten in whole lines as well.
• Select the line that starts Therefore we intend and the one beneath it.
• Hold down the Shift key and, with the mouse pointer as a white arrow pointing at the line, click just after the words safeguard love. The selection will lengthen to end at this line.