Microsoft Word is a word processing program that is offered within the Microsoft Office suite of programs. This class covers the components of the Word program: creating and opening documents; moving, editing, and formatting text; and saving and printing documents.
Starting Word in Windows
- Click on the Windows button in the task bar in the lower left corner of the screen
- Choose Microsoft Word
When you first open Word, it goes to the Word 2019 Start screen. From this screen, you can open a blank document, choose a template, or open a recent document. For this class, click on the blank document to get started.
Components of the Word Program
The Ribbon
Microsoft Office 2019, 2013, 2010, and 2007 make use of the Ribbon system. The Ribbon is the large graphic user interface (GUI) that appears at the top of the Word screen. The ribbon is divided into tabs, groups, and commands.
Each tab opens with various groups of commands. Microsoft attempts to make the placement of the commands within both tabs and groups as intuitive as possible to make them easy to find. The Word 2019 Ribbon allows users to quickly access all of the program’s features and commands with a minimal number of mouse clicks.
The main tabs in Word are File, Home, Insert, Design, Page Layout, References, Mailings, Review, View, and Help. To change to a different tab, click on its name.
Ribbon groups further organize tools and commands. For example, tools for changing font formats are arranged together in the Font group on the Home ribbon. Within each group, there are related command buttons. Click buttons to issue commands or open dialog boxes.
Launcher (or Dialog Expander) buttons are displayed in the bottom right corner of some groups. Clicking the launcher button opens a series of options either in a task pane (such as the clipboard) or a dialog box (such as the font group). To see what a command does, hover the mouse pointer over the command. A textbox appears containing the command name, its keyboard shortcut, and its description.
Opening a Clipboard Task Pane
Click the Home tab and then the dialog expander arrow in the lower right corner of the Clipboard group; the Clipboard pane opens on the left. Click the X in the upper-right corner of the pane to close it.
Minimizing the Ribbon
When the ribbon is visible, it can be minimized so that only the tab names show by clicking the upward-pointing Minimize Ribbon arrow in the lower right corner of the ribbon.
NOTE: The keyboard shortcut Ctrl+F1 can be used to minimize or expand the ribbon.
File Tab
The File tab has replaced the Office button in Word 2007 and the File menu in earlier versions of Word. Found in the upper left corner of the Word 2019 window, the blue File tab opens the Word Backstage view.
Backstage View
The Backstage View in Microsoft Word 2019 is basically the same as in Office 2013.
To close the backstage view and return to the normal worksheet view, do one of the following:
- Click Back Button
- Press the Escape key on the keyboard
Quick Access Toolbar
The Quick Access Toolbar, located at the very top left of the Word window, is used to store shortcuts to frequently used commands or features. By default, Save, Undo, and Redo are available. The toolbar can be customized to include additional commands. Shortcuts to Word commands that are not available on the ribbon can also be added to the Quick Access Toolbar.
The title bar displays the name of the current document. The Ribbon Display Options, Minimize, Maximize, and Close buttons on the right shrink, enlarge, or close the program and document.
The status bar contains the page number, word count, view commands, and zoom slider.
Use Tell Me What You Want to Do
You’ll notice a text box on the ribbon in Office 2019 apps that says, “Tell me what you want to do.” This is a text field where you can enter words and phrases about what you want to do next and quickly get to features you want to use or actions you want to perform. You can also use Tell Me to find help about what you’re looking for, or use Smart Lookup to research or define the term you entered.
To use What you want to do, click on it, and start typing any commands or whatever you want to search for and find out. As an example, I want to search “Insert Comment.”
Creating a New Document
To create a document in Word 2019, click the File Tab -> New to open the New Document page, which looks similar to the start screen. In this window, there are options for creating a blank document or choosing from a number of templates. Choose an option and click on it.
Open an Existing Document
To open a document that is already saved on the computer, go to the File tab -> Open -> then choose This PC or Browse. The Open option also gives you Recent Documents and Recent Folders
Once you click on Browse, the Open Dialog Box appears. Click on Documents to open the Documents folder, then double-click on the document silk history to open it.
Getting Around in Word
There are several options available for keeping track of changes in Word as documents are created and edited. As the mouse moves around, the cursor is typically an arrow. Sometimes it changes to an I- beam, indicating that the location the pointer is in is meant for text. The I-beam turns back into an arrow again when moved outside of an area meant for text.
The blinking cursor represents your current location. To type in a different area:
- Point and click with the mouse
- Use the arrow keys on the lower right part of the keyboard
- Hit enter several times to move the cursor down the page
Once familiar with Word, you may find that keyboard shortcuts to perform certain tasks are preferable. For instance, a file can be opened by:
- Clicking the File tab and selecting Open
- Clicking the Open icon in the Quick Access Toolbar
- Holding down the Ctrl key and pushing the letter O key on the keyboard
Word Wrap
MS Word uses word wrap when you type. Word wrapping is when a line of text automatically “wraps” to the next line when it gets to the end of a page or text field. Most word processing programs use word wrap to keep the text within the margins of the page. With the word wrap feature, the user does not have to press “Enter” or “Return” to get to the next line. Most programs that incorporate word wrapping take the first word that does not fit on a line of text and move it to the beginning of the next line. While it is uncommon, sometimes a word or string of characters will take up more than one line. In this case, the word wrap feature will simply continue the string of characters onto the next line.
Working with Text
Adding Text
When a blank document is opened, the insertion point (blinking cursor) appears. As you type, the insertion point moves to the right, and the typed characters appear to the left. As the end of a line of text is reached, the text automatically wraps to the next line; this feature is called word wrap. When Enter is pressed on the keyboard, the cursor jumps to the next line.
Editing Text
To insert new text into a Word document, position the mouse pointer (it should be an I-beam) at the point where the text is to be inserted and click. Once the cursor is in place, begin typing.
To delete text, select the text by clicking the mouse and dragging until it is highlighted, and then press the Delete or Backspace key on the keyboard.
- The Delete key can also be used to delete the text one character at a time. Each time it is pressed, the character or space directly to the right of the blinking cursor is deleted.
- The Backspace key works much in the same way, only it deletes the character directly to the left of the blinking cursor.
Selecting Text
Selecting is also called highlighting because the program highlights the text to show what’s being chosen. Selecting text allows changes to be made to it. Once selected, text can be changed in a variety of ways. You must select it to Effect it.
As mentioned previously, text can be selected with the keyboard or the mouse.
To select text using the arrow keys on the keyboard:
- Position the blinking cursor next to the text to be selected
- Hold down the Shift key
- Use the arrow keys to select the text before or after the cursor
To select with the mouse:
- Position the I-beam at the beginning of the text
- Click and hold the mouse button down
- Drag the mouse over the text until the text is highlighted
- Release the mouse button
To select portions of text that are noncontiguous (not right next to each other):
- Select the first portion of text using one of the methods above
- Hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard while selecting the next portion of text
To select one full line of text:
- Move the cursor into the left margin until the I-beam changes to an arrow
- Position the arrow in front of the line to be selected and click once
To select an entire paragraph:
- Move the cursor into the left margin until the I-beam changes to an arrow
- Position the arrow at the top line of the paragraph to be selected
- Double-click in the left margin
To select all of the text in the document, choose one of the options below:
- Go to the Home tab -> Editing group -> Select -> Select All
- Move the cursor into the left margin; when the I-beam changes to an arrow, triple-click the mouse
- Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A
Remember, in Word, you have to select it to effect it!
Moving and Copying Text
There are several ways to move and copy text in a Word document.
Drag and Drop
- Select the text to be moved
- Click on the selected text and hold down the mouse button
- Drag the text to the new location
- Release the mouse button
Word indicates that it is a moving text with a small rectangle that represents the selected text below the arrow.
Cut, Copy, and Paste
To move or copy a large amount of text or to copy text from one document or one program to another, cut and paste (or copy and paste) is the best method.
Cutting and pasting or copying and pasting, always consists of two separate steps.
- Cutting and pasting (i.e. moving text) removes the text from its original location and puts it in a new location specified by you
- Copying and pasting leaves the original text in its original location and puts an exact copy of it in a new location specified by you
Most people refer to either of these tasks as “copying and pasting.”
Cutting, copying, and pasting can be performed using ribbon commands or keystroke combinations.
Using the Ribbon commands in the Clipboard group on the Home tab to cut and paste text:
- Select the text to be moved
- Click on the Cut icon (scissors)
- The selected text disappears from its former position and is stored in a virtual location called the clipboard. Once the text is stored to the clipboard, it can be placed in a new location in the same document or in a different document by using the paste command
- To paste the text that has been cut, click the Paste command
The text can be copied instead of cut by using the Copy command during Step 2, which looks like two pieces of paper stacked on top of one another. Keystroke combinations on the keyboard can also be used to cut, copy, and paste:
- Ctrl + X = cut
- Ctrl + C = copy
- Ctrl + V = paste
Undo Button
On the Quick Access toolbar, which appears just above the ribbon tabs, is an icon with a blue arrow pointing to the left: the Undo button.
If you do something in your document that you want to undo, go to the Quick Access toolbar and click on the Undo button; the program reverses the most recent command. Keep clicking the Undo button, and Word reverses your actions step by step.
The keyboard shortcut for undo is Ctrl + Z.
Formatting a Document
The appearance of text can be changed in various ways. It is possible to change existing text or set up options that will be used for future text that you type. The appearance of text can be changed in various ways. It is possible to change existing text or set up options that will be used for future text that you type. With after-the-fact editing, which is typically easier, the first step is selecting the text. after-the-fact editing, which is typically easier, the first step is selecting the text.
Changing Fonts
A computer font is a specific, preset type style. Most word processing programs contain many fonts. Changing the font can radically alter the appearance of a document. While fonts can be fun to play with, too many fonts in one document make a document look cluttered and hard to read. Some fonts, by their nature, are better for simple, short documents.
To change the font:
- Select the text to be changed
- Go to the Home tab -> Font group -> Font down arrow and select a new font from the list
The names are written in their font style. Word also previews the font in the document as the mouse is moved over the font names.
Times New Roman is the common default for many word processors. The default font for Word 2019 is Calibri, and this document is done in Arial. Beware of script fonts like KunstlerScript when creating documents like resumes. Elegant fonts that are perfect for wedding invitations are disastrous for resumes or formal business letters.
Certain fonts may not display properly if a document is sent to someone else or the file is opened on a different computer, because not all computers have all fonts installed on them. If that happens, the original font is automatically replaced with another font.
The font color can be changed as well through the Home tab à Font Group à Font Color command. Fonts that appear in colors other than black on the monitor print out black or gray on a standard black & white printer.
Text Size
One of the simplest ways to change the appearance of text is to vary its size. On the Home tab is the Font group. The second box from the left contains a number that refers to the point size of the text. The actual size of the text also depends on the Font being used.
12-point text is the most commonly used size for documents. 10-point text is slightly smaller; 14 point is slightly larger. 11 point is the default for Word 2019.
This is 10-point Arial text.
This is 14-point Arial text.
This is 20-point Arial text.
To change the text size, select the existing text to be changed and click the downward pointing arrow beside the font size box and choose a number. Word provides a preview of what the new size looks like before it is chosen.
Text Style
Another way to alter the look of text is by using the bold, italic, or underline features. First, select the text to be changed
- To bold text, click the B button under the font name in the Font group (Ctrl + B).
- To italicize text, click on the I button to the right of the B button (Ctrl + I).
- To underline text, click on the U button to the right of the I button (Ctrl + U).
These styles can be applied alone or in combination. They can even be used all at once.
As long as one of these buttons is toggled on, any new text that is typed applies that feature. To turn the feature off, click the button again.
NOTE: When text is selected, the Font Box appears as a “ghostly” image that becomes solid as the cursor is moved over the box. The font box saves you from having to move the mouse up to the Ribbon in order to makes basic changes to the text.
Any of these formatting changes can also be made by clicking on the Font dialog expander in the Font group, which opens the Font dialog box
The options in this dialog box enable changes to be made that are available on the tool bars in addition to even more options.
. Text Alignment
Text can be shifted to the left, right, center, or justified. All of these options can be controlled with the Alignment buttons in the Home tab à Paragraph group.
· To left align text, select the text to be aligned and click on the first alignment button. The text should line up with the left edge of the page. Left alignment is the default, so text is already aligned left when starting a new document.
· To center align text, select it and click the second button. The text should now be centered on the page.
· To right align text, select the text and click the third button. The text should now line up with the right edge of the page.
· To justify text, select it and click on the final alignment button. Justifying text spaces it so that it perfectly meets both margins of a page by stretching the text out across the page. Newspapers use justified text to fit article into columns.
NOTE: Justified text can sometimes look odd because one line may have far fewer or far more words on it than the previous or following line.
In most cases, left alignment should be used.Spell Check
As you type, Word underlines words it thinks you’ve misspelled with a jagged red line. A jagged green line is placed under phrases that it thinks may be grammatically incorrect.
Keep in mind that Word’s dictionary is limited; it doesn’t contain proper nouns or foreign terms and does not recognize most medical and legal terminology. Spell check also does not distinguish between the use of some frequently misused words such as to, too, and two, and there, their and they’re. This is a properly spelled sentence according to spell check:
Their our times when yew two can bee caught with mistakes like these.
A document can be spell-checked at any point. Spell check searches the document and finds perceived misspellings or grammatical errors. Go to the Review tab -> Proofing group -> Spelling & Grammar command to run spell check.
A task pane is displayed to the right; the top portion contains the word or phrase in question. The bottom contains suggestions for replacing or fixing the error. In some cases, Word does not make any suggestions.
To keep the word as it is, click the Ignore Once button. If there are several occurrences of the same word (such as a person’s last name), click on Ignore All and it will ignore all future occurrences within the document.
If a suggested word from the list is correct, click on that word and Word changes the word in the document. If there are several occurrences of the word, click on drop down arrow next to the
word and then click on Change All and the program automatically changes each of the misspellings within the rest of the document.
If the correct word does not appear in the suggestion list of dialog box, change the misspelled word manually by clicking back in the document and editing the word as usual.
Word 2019 also allows you to have the computer Read Aloud, Spell Out and Add to Auto Correct.
Saving
Save early and save often. People often ask how long they should wait before saving—it depends on how upset you’d be to see the work you’ve done since the last save disappear! Saving is fast and easy and prevents a lot of headaches.
To save a document, use one of the following options:
- Click on the File tab and choose Save
- Click on the Save icon on the Quick Access toolbar (it looks like a floppy disk).
- Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + S
Save As
Use the Save As option to save:
- A second version of a saved document (with a different filename)
- A document to a different location
- A document as an older version of MS Word (to share with someone who has on older version of Word)
If you’re saving the file for the first time, the Save As pane will appear in Backstage view. You’ll then need to choose where to save the file and give it a file name. To save the document to your computer, select Computer, and then click Browse
- you click on Browse and choose the location to store your file The Save As dialog box will appear. Select the location where you wish to save the document.
- Enter a file name for the document, then click Save.
- Choose the file type by selecting from the drop- down box next to Save as type. The default is Word Document (*.docx), but to share the file with someone who does not have Word 2019, 2013, 2010, or 2007 choose Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc) instead.
- Click Save
Where to Save Files
Try to consistently save documents to one place so that they are easy to locate. Most versions of Windows have a default folder called Documents into which Word automatically directs documents
unless a different place is specified. The best way to organize documents is by creating subfolders within the Documents folder. Learn more about folders and subfolders in the Windows Basics class.
Printing
Before printing, always look at the document with Print Preview. New to Word 2010 is an automatic Print Preview on the right side of the page when going to the File tab à Print.
Choose from various options before printing the document, including:
- The number of copies to print
- The printer (if more than one is available)
- Which pages to print
To print specific pages:
- Click on Print All Pages and choose from the drop-down menu
- A specific page or range of pages can be printed by entering it/them in the text box beside Pages (e.g. 5, 1-3, or 3-8)