MS Word Basics: Tabs, Features, Formatting and Shortcut Keys for SSC
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
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PDF Notes: MS Word Basics: Tabs, Features, Formatting and Shortcut Keys for SSC
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Microsoft Word is the most used word processing software, and questions on it come in every SSC computer awareness section. They ask about shortcut keys, ribbon tabs, file extensions and common features such as mail merge. This note puts all of them in simple tables with practice questions and FAQs.
Basics
- MS Word is a word processor from Microsoft. The default file extension in modern versions is .docx (older versions used .doc). Templates use .dotx.
- Other formats available with Save As: PDF, RTF, TXT (plain text) and HTML.
- The area where you type is the document window. The ribbon holds the tabs and commands. The Quick Access Toolbar has Save, Undo and Redo. The status bar at the bottom shows page number and word count.
- The blinking vertical line is the cursor (insertion point). The ruler shows margins and indents.
- The default margin is 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides in recent versions.
Ribbon Tabs
| Tab | Main commands |
|---|---|
| File | New, Open, Save, Save As, Print, Share, Options |
| Home | Clipboard (cut, copy, paste, format painter), Font, Paragraph, Styles, Find and Replace |
| Insert | Pages (cover page, page break), Tables, Pictures, Shapes, SmartArt, Charts, Header and Footer, Page Number, Hyperlink, Symbols, WordArt, Drop Cap |
| Design / Draw | Themes, page colour, watermark, page borders |
| Layout (Page Layout) | Margins, Orientation, Size, Columns, Breaks, Indent, Spacing |
| References | Table of Contents, Footnotes, Citations, Captions, Index |
| Mailings | Mail Merge: Start Mail Merge, Select Recipients, Insert Merge Field, Envelopes and Labels |
| Review | Spelling and Grammar, Thesaurus, Word Count, Comments, Track Changes, Translate |
| View | Views (Print Layout, Read Mode, Web Layout, Outline, Draft), Zoom, Ruler, Gridlines, Navigation Pane |
Important Features
| Feature | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mail Merge | Creates many personalised letters or labels from one main document and a data source |
| Track Changes | Records every edit so that the author can accept or reject it |
| Header and Footer | Text that repeats at the top or bottom of every page |
| Drop Cap | A large first letter of a paragraph |
| Format Painter | Copies the formatting of one text to another |
| Find and Replace | Searches for a word and replaces it with another |
| Thesaurus | Gives synonyms (similar words) |
| Watermark | Faint text or image behind the main text |
| Page Break | Starts a new page at that point |
| Section Break | Divides the document into sections with different layouts |
| Table of Contents | An automatic list of headings with page numbers |
| Portrait / Landscape | Vertical or horizontal page orientation |
| Justify | Aligns text evenly with both left and right margins |
Shortcut Keys
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + N | New document |
| Ctrl + O | Open |
| Ctrl + S | Save |
| F12 | Save As |
| Ctrl + P | |
| Ctrl + W | Close the document |
| Ctrl + C / X / V | Copy / Cut / Paste |
| Ctrl + Z / Y | Undo / Redo |
| Ctrl + A | Select all |
| Ctrl + B / I / U | Bold / Italic / Underline |
| Ctrl + L / E / R / J | Left / Centre / Right / Justify alignment |
| Ctrl + F | Find |
| Ctrl + H | Replace |
| Ctrl + G | Go To |
| Ctrl + K | Insert hyperlink |
| Ctrl + Enter | Page break |
| Ctrl + Home / End | Go to the start / end of the document |
| Ctrl + Shift + > or < | Increase or decrease the font size |
| Shift + F3 | Change case (upper, lower, title) |
| F7 | Spelling and grammar check |
| Alt + F4 | Close the program |
| Ctrl + 1 / 2 / 5 | Single / double / 1.5 line spacing |
Selecting Text
- Double-click selects a word; triple-click selects a paragraph.
- Click in the left margin to select a line; Ctrl + A selects the whole document.
- Shift + arrow keys extend the selection one character or line at a time.
Other Points
- Word count shows words, characters, paragraphs and lines.
- Alignments available: left, centre, right and justify.
- Line spacing and paragraph spacing are in the Paragraph group.
- Undo reverses the last action; Redo repeats the undone action.
- A document saved in PDF format cannot be edited easily in Word; it is for sharing.
Quick Tips
- Learn the tabs with one commonly asked command each.
- Write the shortcut keys on a card and revise them twice a week.
- Mail Merge belongs to the Mailings tab, Track Changes to the Review tab.
- Do not confuse Ctrl + Y (redo) with Ctrl + Z (undo).
Quick Revision Points
- Default extension: .docx; older: .doc; template: .dotx.
- Mail Merge is in the Mailings tab; Track Changes in the Review tab.
- Ctrl + S save; F12 Save As; Ctrl + P print.
- Ctrl + E centre; Ctrl + J justify.
- F7 is the spelling and grammar check.
Practice Questions With Answers
- What is the default extension of a Word 2007 and later document?
Answer: .docx - Which shortcut key is used to save a document?
Answer: Ctrl + S - Which tab contains Mail Merge?
Answer: Mailings - Which key opens Save As?
Answer: F12 - Ctrl + E does what?
Answer: Centre alignment - Which feature records every edit for review?
Answer: Track Changes - Which shortcut inserts a page break?
Answer: Ctrl + Enter - Which key checks spelling and grammar?
Answer: F7 - What is a drop cap?
Answer: A large first letter of a paragraph - Which tab has Margins and Orientation?
Answer: Layout (Page Layout)
How to Practise This Chapter
Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the MS Word Basics and Shortcut Keys notes page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MS Word?
A word processing program from Microsoft used to create and edit documents.
What is the default file extension of MS Word?
.docx in modern versions and .doc in older versions.
Which tab has Mail Merge?
The Mailings tab.
What is Track Changes?
A feature that records edits so they can be accepted or rejected.
What does Ctrl + Z do?
It undoes the last action.
What does Ctrl + Y do?
It redoes the undone action.
What is a header and a footer?
Text that appears at the top (header) and bottom (footer) of every page.
How do I select the whole document?
Press Ctrl + A.
What is Format Painter?
A tool to copy formatting from one text to another.
What is the difference between Save and Save As?
Save updates the same file; Save As creates a new copy with a new name or format.
Which view shows how the printed page will look?
Print Layout view.
Are MS Word questions common in SSC?
Yes, shortcut keys and features of MS Word are asked in nearly every computer awareness section.
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Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.