We want to select a section of text in a Word document for many reasons. You may wish to change the font style or color, bold text, or cut and paste the text.
Here are a few tips and shortcut key combinations for selecting text:
To select a word – double-click anywhere within the word
To set the entire paragraph – triple-click anywhere within the paragraph
To select the entire sentence – Press the CTRL key for a PC or the Command key for a MAC and click anywhere within the sentence. Select a text block – Press and hold the ALT key and drag your mouse to select any rectangular area.
To select the entire document – Press Ctrl+A for a PC or Command +A for a MAC on your keyboard to select all text.
You can also use the SHIFT and directional arrow keys to select text from your current cursor position.
Follow Key to Computing for more tips, tricks, and site reviews.
Have a burning computer question? Email Key to Computing, and your question may be answered in our next article!
Speak to encourage!
Desk of Contents
The Importance of Excellent Writing
TIP #1: Be Lively, No longer Passive
TIP #2: Say What You Imply, Imply What You are saying
TIP #3: Don’t Be Verbose and Run On and On, and Use Greater Phrases than You need to use to Get Your Point Across
TIP #4: Pass the Massive Phrases. Your Reader isn’t always Impressed
TIP #5: Shorter is Usually Sweeter
TIP #6: Shape Your Paragraphs Logically
TIP #7: Are You Positive It is the Proper Word?
TIP #8: Have a Communication
TIP #9: Say What?
TIP #10: Avoid Qualifiers
TIP #11: Get rid of Repetitive Redundancies
The Significance of Correct Writing
Does your task require you to put it in writing? Whatever in any respect? If Not, you Don’t need this article. However, if you’re occasionally referred to as one to jot down a letter to a client, commands for a subordinate, info on the operation of a technique, an education guide, an annual file, an editorial for the company publication, or even an email to a co-employee, you will broaden a reputation as a creator.
Will that recognition be Proper or awful? Will humans enjoy reading your work – or balk once they get something from you? Most of the time, it depends on your writing skills and fashion. People want to study matters that might be easy to understand, written in undeniable English, and comply with logical concepts. Misspelled words, grammatical mistakes, and negative sentence Structure distract your message. This e-book isn’t intended to be a primer on spelling or grammar. However, you could significantly improve your writing skills simply by the following 11 simple Recommendations.
TIP #1: Be Energetic, Now not Passive
A not-unexpected error is writing skills in the passive voice when the lively voice will sound higher and make more sense. The energetic voice is Commonly preferred as it makes the sentence clearer and shorter.
In place of this, The person was bitten using the canine.
Do that: The canine bit The man.
In place of this, the student made A rude noise, and the fundamentals became known via the instructor.
Do this: The pupil made a rude noise, and the instructor called the main.
TIP #2: Say What You Imply, Suggest What You are saying
Your writing skills should not cause your reader to scratch his head and say, “Huh?”.
As opposed to this, If the Internal Revenue Service finds that a man or woman has obtained a fee to which the character becomes No longer entitled, whether or No longer the price was because of the individual’s fault or misrepresentation, and whether or not or not the charge became due to a miscalculation by using the Service, or some different kind of blunders. However, the character will be at risk of repaying to the Department of the Treasury the total sum of the payment to which the man or woman no longer becomes entitled.
Do that: If the IRS overpays you, you must return the overpayment quantity regardless of the reason.
TIP #3: Do not Be Verbose and Run On and On, and Use Greater Phrases Than You want to Get Your Factor Throughout; some writers experience long sentences. The go-for amount rather than exceptional. In truth, it takes more skills to be concise.
Instead of this, ABC Software program, Inc. announced its early adoption and planned use and aid of Microsoft’s new Visual Studio for Applications (VSA) era as a fundamental platform issue on which ABC Software program’s subsequent-generation solutions may be built. ABC Software program has a strong record of presenting clients with solutions adaptable to specific commercial enterprise desires through award-winning customization gear. VSA gives crucial talents to enable the ABC Software program to customize Extra superior tiers in its next-generation products.
Do this: ABC Software is among the first to adopt Microsoft’s new Visible Studio Programs (VSA) technology. ABC has records of supplying customization tools that can be adaptable to a huge style of business needs. The usage of VSA will permit ABC to create even more advanced variations of its Software.
TIP #4: Pass the Big Phrases. Your Reader isn’t Inspired.
Some writers accept that they may be distinctly reputable or appear smarter if they use Big Phrases. In truth, most people are eliminated by using that. The author seems to be a pompous display-off. Say what you Imply in plain English!
As opposed to this – Try this:
extra – extra
suggest – tell
attempt – strive
commence – begin
consequently – so
ahead – ship
character – man or woman
preliminary – first
in extra of – Greater than
within the event of – if
numerous – many
on receipt – while we get
on request – if you ask
details – info
men and women – human beings
previous to – before
regarding – about
referred to as – called
sufficient – enough
terminate – end
TIP #5: Shorter is Usually Sweeter
An excellent rule of thumb is to permit each sentence to accomplish simply one thing. Too many ideas in one sentence make it confusing. Rather than stringing several pictures together, it placed everyone into a shorter sentence.
Rather than this, The government and monetary network within the Bahamas appreciate corporations’ desire to function below the jurisdiction laws that minimize taxation, reporting requirements, and bureaucratic intervention while supplying flexibility for operation in a liberal and concessionary environment.
Try this: The government and banking network in the Bahamas acknowledge that companies need to pay fewer taxes. The one’s equal groups need to be freed from hard reporting necessities and bureaucratic interference. The Bahamas allows corporations to operate freely and could even provide concessions to attract them to the islands.
TIP #6: Structure Your Articles Logically
It isn’t easy for the reader to follow a logical progression if your mind bounces back and forth. From analyzing magazines and newspaper articles, the maximum number of readers will expect you to start with generality and then hold with greater detail and unique examples.
You can do that without wondering while you are speaking. You bypass a chum in the corridor at paintings who asks what you did the night before. You prevent and tell her that you went to a remarkable new eating place wherein the food and Carrier were delicious. You inform her of the name of the location in which it is placed and say, “You should take a look at it.” Using that point within the conversation, it is time to get to paintings again.
Later, you exit to lunch with every other friend and spend an hour together. She asks you the same query, and you begin your answer in precisely an identical manner. However, because you have Extra time and they are sincerely interested, you start giving her information. You point out who you were eating with, gossip about who else you noticed there, list each object on the substantial dessert menu, and describe the atmosphere of the vicinity in intricate detail.
While you write something, your readers may be in various places and situations when acquiring your communication. You must report the report’s important messages at the start and then pass them into the Extra element for those with the time and interest.
TIP #7: Are You Certain It is the Right Word?
A great deal has been written about how perplexing the English language is for people trying to analyze it for the first time. However, writers know it could also be difficult for Those who’ve spoken and written the language their complete lifestyles! Right here are fifty-five sets of Words that writers regularly confuse – and a brief assessment of their proper usage:
Effect – to steer;
Effect – result
Already – organized;
Already – at the moment
All Proper – satisfactory;
Very well – wrong utilization
All collectively – a set;
Altogether – absolutely
Allude – to refer to;
Elude – to steer clear of
All Ways – via all way;
Always – all the time
Anyway – using any approach;
Anyway – anyways;
Anyways – wrong utilization
Appraise – to estimate a price;
Appraise – to tell
Ascent – upward movement;
Consent – to agree
Assistance – help;
Assistants – helpers
Bare – bare;
Endure – bring;
Ensure – animal
Besides – after;
Except – additionally
Born – introduced into existence;
Borne – carried
Brake – forestall;
Ruin – shatter
Buy – buy;
Bye – goodbye;
through – next to
Capital – the seat of the presidency;
Capitol – a building wherein a legislature meets
Compliment – reward;
Supplement – to enhance an entire
Connote – to imply;
Denote – to indicate
Continual – occurs often;
Continuous – by no means stops
Correspondence – written communications;
Correspondents – individuals who compose the communications
Desolate tract – depart at the back of;
Wasteland – an arid land;
Dessert – after dinner course
Device – invention;
Device – to invent
Discreet – prudent, circumspect;
Discrete – separate, wonderful
Disinterested – unbiased;
Uninterested – indifferent
Elicit – to deliver out;
Illicit – illegal
Besides – aside from;
Accept – to acquire
Honest – common;
Fair – beautiful;
Fair – simply;
Reasonable – price for transportation
Further – literal distance;
Similarly – to a greater volume
ahead – in the direction of the front;
Foreword – introductory observe
Gorilla – a big primate;
Guerrilla – non-traditional struggle
Hanged – beyond disturbing of cling (execution of a criminal);
Hung – beyond aggravating of grasp (as with a picture on the wall)
Heard – past anxiety of “listen”;
Her – a group of animals
Illusion – misperception;
Allusion – indirect reference
It is – a contraction of “it’s miles”;
It’s – possessive of “it.”
Lead – to be out in front;
Lead – heavy metallic;
Led – beyond the sense of being out in front
Lesson – to make much less;
Lesson – something learned
Overdue – to hold to a long way;
Late – late
Surpassed – past aggravating of “pass”;
past – a time gone by using
Staying power – forbearance;
Patients – customers of a doctor
Peace – the absence of conflict;
Piece – a part of something
Presence – being somewhere;
Offers – presents
foremost – head of a faculty;
important – holder of a high role in an enterprise;
most important – an amount of money that earns a hobby;
Principle – a rule or preferred
Raise – to boost up;
Raze – to rip down
Residence – a residence;
Citizens – folks that live in a residence
Respectfully – in a well-mannered way;
Respectively – in the order referred to
Proper – correct;
Ceremony – nonsecular rite
Sight – something visible;
Web page – an area;
Cite – quote an expert
Some time – a period;
Someday – at an unspecified Point in time
Deskbound – Not moving;
Stationery – writing paper
Directly – Not bent;
Strait – passageway through water
Tenant – a renter;
Guiding principle – strongly held perception
They’re – possessive of “they”;
There – No longer Right here;
They may be – a contraction of “they” and “are.”
Waiver – surrender a Right;
Weaver – to be indecisive
Who is – contraction of “who” and “is”;
Whose – possessive of “who.”
You’re – possessive of “you”;
You are – contraction of “you” and “are.”
TIP #8: Have a Communication
For Most matters that you write, a casual tone isn’t best suitable, however less difficult to read. It would help to avoid jargon unless you write a scholarly paper on a few rare ailments for your next scientific convention. Do not consider your readers first as engineers, bankers, legal professionals, enterprise executives, or co-people. Please think of the first as human beings who have lots to do and Do not need to exert their analysis.
Appropriate communique involves more than talking and listening, writing skills, and analyzing. It includes readability on the part of The author and information on the part of the reader. It consists of an interplay between Extra human beings. Your writing must be as easy to study and apprehend as your Verbal exchange across the water cooler. In particular, Keep away from buzzwords, enterprise jargon, and clichés currently in fashion. Believe if people talked the manner a number of them write. You may get a voicemail like this:
“What’s up, George? Suppose we’re outdoors in the field, observing our middle capabilities, interacting with our strategic alliances, and spotting if we’re at the equal web page. I parent. It is a win-win. We should contact base and then hit the ground jogging. I think if we are proactive, we will locate some brilliant synergy. Going ahead, I suppose this may not be a vital choice. However, it may additionally also be assignment-vital.
I just wanted to inform you that it will be tonight because I’m out of pocket all weekend. At the top of the day, we’ll find we’ve neglected some things that weren’t on our radar display. Backside line: It is all approximately positioning. And don’t forget we want to walk the stroll. Despite everything, there’s no “I” in the team, and we need to move for result-driven empowerment. So keep me in the loop, okay?”
Wouldn’t this jargon-free voicemail be simpler to apprehend?
“What’s up, George? Let’s invite multiple women out for a date. It might be this night because I will be gone for the weekend. We have been saying we must get out Greater. It is going to be a laugh! Call me back when you get a threat, k?”
Remember to put in writing skills Greater, such as you communicate.
TIP #9: Say What?
Study what you’ve written out loud! From time to time, to monitor problems, you Do not “listen” to your mind when you proof your work. You may understand exactly what you mean when you write the sentence and have it misunderstood. Now and then, the trouble comes from moving your difficulty and verb to ways aside in the sentence. Instead, President Bush wrote his State of the Union deals while traveling from Washington to Omaha on a menu.
Do that: President Bush wrote his Nation of the Union to cope with the return of a menu while traveling from Washington to Omaha.
Unlike this, Dr. Smith has been writing skills and a treatise on the history of diabetes studies since the early 1900s.
Do this: Dr. Smith has been writing skills a treatise. It discusses the records of diabetes since the early 1900s.
TIP #10: Keep away from Qualifiers
Your writing skills will commonly be Stronger if you Avoid certain qualifiers. No, It’s Not Right. Your writing skills are Stronger while you Keep away from qualified readers. Do you see the difference when the Phrase “usually” is eliminated from the preceding sentence?
“Normally” is among dozens of qualifiers people use in their writing and speech skills. Other examples are “probable”, “almost”, “about”, “in all likelihood”, “type of”, “maybe”, “try to”, “believed to be”, “ought to be”, “Generally”, “Most”, “Now and then”, “occasionally”, “I think”, “perhaps”, “kind of”, and “generally”.
Using too many qualifiers on your writing skills will make you sound unsure of yourself, or worse yet – evasive.
In preference to this, The food became extremely tasteless.
Try this: The food turned into tasteless. Or The food turned into bland.
As opposed to this, It became a reasonably hot day.
Do that: It becomes a hot day.
TIP #11: Put off repetitive redundancies
A redundancy unnecessarily uses Extra Words that Imply an identical issue – like repetitive redundancies. The second one, Phrase, is immoderate and superfluous. Here are some examples of redundancies to Keep away from:
o small in size
o I thought to myself
o record
o cash-saving coupon
o join collectively
o merge collectively
o younger child
o sudden wonder
o hole tube
o instructional student
o beyond history
o honest fact
o proximity
o previously recorded
o intellectual telepathy
o refer again
o introduced bonus
o Naked bare
o the consensus
It is raining outdoor
o fad
o surrounded on all sides
o mystery
o domestic dog canine
These few Recommendations likely won’t win you a Pulitzer Prize or get you elected President; however, optimistically, you have learned sufficiently to make your subsequent writing skills venture simpler and Extra exciting…here are some simple computer tips for selecting text in Microsoft Word for you AND the reader!
