Select text by using the mouse

In Word 2007, you can select text or items in a table by using the mouse.

You can also select text or items that are in different places. For example, you can select a paragraph on one page and a sentence on a different page.

Select an entire document

To select the entire contents of the document body, do one of the following:

On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Select , then click Select All .
Move the pointer to the left of any text until it turns into a right-pointing arrow , and then triple-click.

Select text in the body of a document

To select: Do this
Any amount of text: Click where you want to begin the selection, hold down the left mouse button, and then drag the pointer over the text that you want to select.
A word: Double-click anywhere in the word.
A line of text: Move the pointer to the left of the line until it changes to a right-pointing arrow , and then click.
A sentence: Hold down CTRL, and then click anywhere in the sentence.
A paragraph: Triple-click anywhere in the paragraph.
Multiple paragraphs: Move the pointer to the left of the first paragraph until it changes to a right-pointing arrow , and then press and hold down the left mouse button while you drag the pointer up or down.
A large block of text: Click at the start of the selection, scroll to the end of the selection, and then hold down SHIFT while you click where you want the selection to end.
An entire document: Move the pointer to the left of any text until it changes to a right-pointing arrow , and then triple-click.
Headers and footers: In Print Layout view, double-click the dimmed header or footer text. Move the pointer to the left of the header or footer until it changes to a right-pointing arrow , and then click.
Footnotes and endnotes: Click the footnote or endnote text, move the pointer to the left of the text until it changes to a right-pointing arrow , and then click.
A vertical block of text: Hold down ALT while you drag the pointer over the text.
A text box or frame: Move the pointer over the border of the frame or text box until the pointer becomes a four-headed arrow , and then click.

Select items in a table

To select: Do this
The contents of a cell: Click in the cell. Under Table Tools, click the Layout tab. In the Table group, click Select , and then click Select Cell.
The contents of a row: Click in the row. Under Table Tools, click the Layout tab. In the Table group, click Select , and then click Select Row.
The contents of a column: Click in the column. Under Table Tools, click the Layout tab. In the Table group, click Select , and then click Select Column.
The contents of multiple cells, rows, or columns: Click in a cell, a row, or a column and then hold the left mouse button down while you drag across all of the cells, rows, or columns that contain the content that you want to select. To select the contents of cells, rows, or columns that are not next to each other, click in the first cell, row, or column, press CTRL, and then click the additional cells, rows, or columns that contain the content that you want to select.
The contents of an entire table: Click in the table. Under Table Tools, click the Layout tab. In the Table group, click Select , and then click Select Table.

Select text in different places

You can select text or items in a table that are not next to each other. For example, you can select a paragraph on one page and a sentence on a different page.

Select some text or an item in a table.
Hold down CTRL while you select any additional text or item in a table that you want.

Select text in Outline view

To view your document in Outline view, click the View tab, and then click Outline in the Document Views group.

To select: Move the pointer to
A heading: The left of the heading until it changes to a right-pointing arrow , and then click.
A heading, its subheading, and body text: The left of the heading until it changes to a right-pointing arrow , and then double-click.
A paragraph of body text: The left of the paragraph until it changes to a right-pointing arrow , and then click.
Multiple headings or paragraphs of body text: The left of the text until it changes to a right-pointing arrow , and then drag up or down.

Notes

In Outline view, clicking once to the left of a paragraph selects the entire paragraph instead of a single line.
you select a heading that includes collapsed subordinate text, the collapsed text is also selected (even though it is not visible). Any changes that you make to the heading — such as moving, copying, or deleting it — also affect the collapsed text.