This article describes how to use the cutting and pasting features of Microsoft Word, for faster and easier document editing.
Introduction
Cutting and pasting is a key timesaving word processing skill that,
when mastered, can make creating and editing documents much quicker. To
see how it works this article will cover how to:
- Type a short paragraph
- Select a sentence to move
- Cut the sentence
- Paste it into a new location
- Try some more tricks
Type a Short Paragraph
Open Microsoft Word and create a new document.
Type a few sentences, placing one of them out of order.
In the example shown below, the sentence with the red box around it is out of order.
Select a Sentence to Move
Using your mouse, move your cursor anywhere over the text. It will
turn from a cursor into a text-insertion bar (a short, blinking
vertical line).
Use your mouse to position the text insertion bar at the very
beginning of the sentence you'd like to move. Press down on your mouse
button (left button for Windows users) and hold the button down.
Move the button across to the right, until the entire sentence is selected, including the period at the end of the sentence.
You'll see the text selected as shown below. Note that your
highlight color may be a different color, depending on your Word
settings.
Cut the Selected Sentence
Now that you have selected the sentence, you can cut it. Don't worry
about "losing" the sentence. Although it will disappear from the
screen, the contents of the text are still in the computer's memory,
and you'll be able to access it.
If you're using Windows, hold down the Ctrl key called the Control key) on your keyboard and push the X button. X
is used in almost all programs of any type in Windows and Macintosh as
a shortcut for "Cut." The text will disappear and the paragraph will
adjust accordingly.
If you're using a Macintosh, hold down the Apple key (officially called the command key) on your keyboard and push the X button. The text will disappear and the paragraph will adjust.
Paste the Sentence into a New Location
Now use the text insertion bar, and click on the spot where you want
the sentence to be pasted. This is where you want the first character
of the sentence you cut to be placed.
If you're using Windows, hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and push the V button. V
is used in almost all Windows and Macintosh programs as a shortcut for
"Paste." The sentence you cut will now appear, flowing in from the
point at which you placed the text insertion bar.
If you're using a Macintosh, hold down the Apple key on your keyboard and push the V button. The sentence you cut will now appear.
In the example below, the pasted text is shown with a red box surrounding it.
Try Some More Tricks
Until you copy or cut something else, the sentence you just copied
is still in your computer's "clipboard," which means you can paste the
same sentence again and again. Try pasting the sentence at the
beginning of the paragraph or at the end.
Cutting and pasting works with anything you can select, including
single characters, images, sentences, paragraphs, or even pages worth
of text.
You can also copy text, which is handy for duplicating chunks of
text that you need to use more than once. Run through the same steps,
but instead of using control-X (or command-X on a Mac), use control-C
(command-C on a Mac).
Finally, if you want to simply move a chunk of selected text, you
can "grab" it with your cursor and drag it into position by holding
down the mouse button as you move the selected text. Try this out by
selecting a section of text, then hold down on the mouse button, move
the cursor to the beginning of the paragraph, and release the mouse
button. The selected text will appear in the new location. |
