One of the ironies of using computer software programs with a graphical interface is that you have to move at least one hand from the keyboard to the mouse in order accomplish some command or task. When using a word processing program most users immediately reach for their mouse to make a text selection in order to apply formatting properties. This is very inefficient considering that you will be moving your hand back to the keyboard to continue typing one you are finished formatting the selected text.

This article explains some of the methods to select text with the keyboard when using Microsoft Word. These keyboard shortcuts should work in Word versions starting with 2003. NOTE: The ‘+’ between the key names indicates that you have to press the keys at the same time.

Shift + End

• Selects text from the cursor to the end of the line.
• In this context ‘line’ equals row. It does not equal ‘sentence’.

Shift + Home

• Selects text from the cursor to the beginning of the line.
• This is the opposite of Shift + End

Shift + Page Down

• Selects text from the cursor one screen down.
• ‘Screen’ does not equal ‘page’.
• Will select text across two pages.
• If cursor is not at beginning of line, will select text to approximately same location (minus 1 character) in last line of the screen.

Shift + Page Up

• This is the opposite of Shift + Page Down.

Shift + Right Arrow/Shift + Left Arrow

• Extends selection one character to the right or left depending on the arrow key pressed.

Ctrl + Shift + Right Arrow

• Selects from the cursor to the end of the word.
• If cursor is within a word, the remainder of the word will be selected.
• If the cursor is at the end of a word, the next ‘space’ will be selected.

Ctrl + Shift + Left Arrow

• Selects from the cursor to the beginning of the word.
• If the cursor is already at the beginning a a word, this shortcut will select the previous word.

Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow

• Selects from cursor to end of paragraph.
• If the cursor is already at the end of a paragraph, this shortcut will select the next ‘space’.

Ctrl + Shift + Up Arrow

• Selects from the cursor to the start of the paragraph.
• If the cursor is already at the start of a paragraph, the previous paragraph will be selected.

Ctrl + Shift + End

• Selects from the cursor to the end of the document.

Ctrl + Shift + Home

• Selects from the cursor to the beginning of the document.

Ctrl + A

• Selects the entire document.

Word also comes with another method for selecting text via the keyboard: Extend Mode. Extend Mode works through successive pressings of the function key F8.

1. Turns on Extend Mode
2. Selects the current or nearest word.
3. Selects the sentence containing the selected word.
4. Selects the paragraph containing the selected sentence.
5. Selects the entire document.

You must press the Esc key to turn Extend Mode off.

There is also a ‘reverse’ Extend Mode that is accessed by successively pressing Shift + F8. This keystroke combination reduces the text selection from Everything → Paragraph → Sentence → Word → Nothing.

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