Step 1: Select Text with the Mouse 

To select a character, word, or phrase, click at the beginning of the text you want to select, hold down the left mouse button, and drag to the end of the selection. Release the mouse button, and the text is selected. 

 

 

Step 2: Select Text with the Keyboard 

To select text using the keyboard, press the arrow keys to move the cursor to the beginning of the word or phrase you want to select. Hold down the Shift key and move the appropriate arrow key to select the desired text. To select a word, for example, move the cursor to the beginning of the word, hold down the Shift key, and press the right-arrow key until the text is selected. 

 

 

 

Step 3: Mouse Shortcuts 

To select a single word quickly, double-click inside the word. To select a paragraph, triple-click inside the paragraph. 

 

 

 

Step 4: Click Inside the Left Margin 

You can also click inside the left margin to select lines of text. Hover your mouse pointer to the left of the line you want to highlight until the mouse pointer takes the shape of a northeast-pointing arrow, and click once to select the line. 

 

 

 

Step 5: Select a Paragraph 

You can also use the left margin to select a paragraph: Simply double-click next to the paragraph you want to select. 

 

 

 

Step 6: Select the Entire Document 

Finally, you can use the left margin to select the entire document: Triple-click anywhere in the left margin to select the entire document.