Microsoft Word Text Management and Formatting

A comprehensive vocabulary review of Microsoft Word document operations, text formatting tools, keyboard shortcuts, proofing utilities, and styling features.

Selection Bar Area

The blank space to the left of the document margin where clicking in front of a line selects the line, and double-clicking selects the entire paragraph.

Sentence Selection

A text selection method executed by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking anywhere within the target sentence.

Column Selection

A selection technique performed by holding down ALT and dragging the mouse over a vertical block of text, or by pressing Ctrl + Shift + F8 and using the arrow keys.

=rand()

A command typed into Microsoft Word followed by pressing Enter to instantly generate sample text on the screen.

Navigation Pane

A search pane launched by pressing CTRL + F or selecting Find in the Editing group of the Home tab to locate specific words within a document.

Red Underline

A wavy indicator placed by Microsoft Word beneath spelling errors.

Green Underline

A wavy indicator placed by Microsoft Word beneath grammar errors.

Blue Underline

A line placed by Microsoft Word beneath correctly spelled but misused words.

Ignore Once

A spelling check command that directs Word to ignore the flagged word throughout the document.

Ignore All

A spelling check command that directs Word to ignore all occurrences of the same misspelling.

Add to Dictionary

A spelling check button that permanently adds the flagged word to the Word spelling dictionary.

AutoCorrect (Spelling)

An option that automatically corrects a selected spelling error from that point forward by creating an automated correction entry.

Explain (Grammar)

A grammar checker feature that displays a description of the grammatical rule that caused a sentence to be flagged as a possible error.

Grow Font and Shrink Font

Quick buttons located in the Home tab Font group used to respectively enlarge or reduce the font size of selected text.

Clear Formatting

A command accessed via the Home tab Font group or by pressing Ctrl + SPACEBAR to strip all formatting from selected text.

Strikethrough

A font styling effect applied via the Font group that draws a line through the middle of the selected text.

Sentence case

A Change Case option that capitalizes the first character of every selected sentence.

Capitalize Each Word

A Change Case option that places an initial capital letter on every selected word.

TOGGLE CASE

A Change Case command that inverts the capitalization of all selected text, changing uppercase characters to lowercase and lowercase characters to uppercase.

More Colors

An option within the Font Color menu that displays a color palette box allowing the selection of a custom hue from millions of colors.

Text Effects

Visual enhancements in Microsoft Word—including shadow, outline, glow, and reflection—typically applied to cover pages and headings.

Justify

A paragraph alignment option applied using Ctrl + J that aligns text evenly along both the left and right margins.

Left Indentation

The inward movement of the left edge of a paragraph toward the center, increased by pressing Ctrl + M and decreased by pressing Ctrl + Shift + M.

First Line Indent

A paragraph setting configured via the Paragraph Dialog Box that moves only the left side of the first line of a paragraph inward toward the center.

Hanging Indent

A special paragraph indentation setting that moves the first line leftward toward the margin relative to the indented body of the paragraph.

Line Spacing

The vertical distance measured between two lines of text within a Microsoft Word document.

Automatic Bullet Shortcut

An automatic formatting feature activated by typing an asterisk (*) followed by either the SPACEBAR or the TAB key at the start of a line.

Automatic Numbering Shortcut

An automatic formatting feature activated by typing the number 1 followed by either the SPACEBAR or the TAB key at the start of a line.

Multi-lists

Hierarchical sub-lists created in Microsoft Word by pressing the Tab key on a list item.

Horizontal Line Shortcut

A shortcut performed by typing three hyphens (---) and pressing ENTER to draw a single, light horizontal rule between the left and right margins.

Page Border Tab

A tab in the Borders and Shading dialog box used to customize border settings, styles, colors, widths, or art for a single page, the first page, or the entire document.

Symbols and Equations

Features located under the Insert tab used respectively to add unlisted special characters or build mathematical and scientific formulas.

.docx

The default file extension and format used by Microsoft Word when saving documents.

Save Shortcut

A command executed by pressing Ctrl + S or clicking the floppy disk icon above the File tab to store edits to an existing document.

Blogster

A spam-free blogging community site allowing users to publish media, build profiles, add friends, link Twitter and Flickr accounts, and post on a Wall and lifestream.

Tweets

Text-based posts containing up to $140$ characters sent and read by users on the social network Twitter.