Selected text

TIP Although this chapter talks about working with text, the selection methods can be
applied to almost all of your document’s content, such as pictures, SmartArt graphics, or
charts.

You can use a variety of methods to select text. The most common is the click-and-drag
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method. That is, you move the mouse pointer to where you want to begin your selection,
click and hold the left (primary) mouse button, and then drag through the text you want to
select. Additional methods include using the keyboard and other mouse actions, which are
discussed in the following sections.

IMPORTANT When using the mouse to select text, don’t drag text that’s already selected,
because that action will move the selected text to a different location. If you accidently move
text, you can reverse your action by clicking the Undo button on the Quick Access Toolbar or
by pressing Ctrl+Z. If you want to make sure you don’t accidentally move text by dragging, click
the File tab to display the Backstage view, and then click Options. On the Advanced page, below
the Editing options heading, clear the check box for Allow Text To Be Dragged And Dropped.

Selecting text by using the keyboard

You can use the keyboard to select text by pressing the Shift key in combination with
a navigation keyboard shortcut. Your selection starts from the location of the cursor.
For example, if your cursor is positioned at the beginning of a paragraph, you can press
Shift+Ctrl+Down Arrow to select the entire paragraph. But if your cursor is positioned in

Selecting text by using the keyboard and mouse    159