As well as using the mouse, Microsoft Word 2007 offers a number of handy options for selecting text via the keyboard. Most of these options involve using the Shift key together with other keys. In addition, there are also some techniques which rely entirely on the keyboard.
Making discontiguous selections
One little-known highlighting technique definitely worth mentioning is the use of the Control key in conjunction with the mouse. This enables you to make discontiguous selections: in other words, selection that have gaps. For example if we want to select just the headings in a particular document, you can drag across the first heading to select it; hold down the Control key and drag across each of the other headings. You will notice that the headings will be selected while the text between them is not. You can then change the format of your headings and none of the other text will affected.
Shift-click
A more well-known technique is click followed by Shift-click. To use this technique, click to mark the start of the area that needs to be highlighted. Next, hold down the Shift key and click to mark the point where you want the highlighting to end. All text between the two clicks will then be highlighted.
Using Shift with the cursor keys
Shift can also be used in conjunction with the cursor keys to highlight characters, words, lines or paragraph. To use these techniques, begin by using the cursor keys on your keyboard to position the cursor where you want your highlighting the start. To highlight character by character press the right or left arrow depending on the direction that you want to move in. To select line by line pressed the down arrow or up arrow depending on the required direction. To deselect some of the highlighted text, move the cursor in the opposite direction. To remove the highlight completely, press any cursor key without the Shift key held down.
Using the Home and End keys
As well as using the cursor keys you can also use Home and End. For example, if the cursor is positioned in the middle of a line, pressing Shift and Home will select from the cursor position to the start of the line; while pressing Shift and End will select from the cursor position to the end of the line.
As well as using Shift, you can use Control-Shift. Control-Shift Home will select from the cursor position to the start of the document. Control-Shift end will select from the cursor position to the end of the document.
Shift and click
As well as using Shift, you can use Control-Shift. Control-Shift Home will select from the cursor position to the start of the document. Control-Shift end will select from the cursor position to the end of the document.