MS Word
About 6 min · Computer Knowledge · English
Time worked out from the lesson's 434 words at 150 words a minute, plus a minute for each question.
Microsoft Word is the most widely used word processing software and forms a core component of the Computer Knowledge section in HSSC CET. Questions typically test your familiarity with the Word interface, document creation steps, formatting options, table operations and print settings. Since this is an application-based topic, expect direct questions on menu locations, shortcut keys and step-by-step procedures rather than theoretical concepts.
Key ideas
- Document creation: A new blank document opens by default when Word starts. Use File → New or Ctrl + N for additional new documents. Documents are saved with the .docx extension (or .doc for older versions).
- Ribbon interface: The top area containing tabs (Home, Insert, Page Layout, etc.), each tab divided into Groups containing related commands. The Quick Access Toolbar sits above the Ribbon for frequently used commands.
- Font formatting: Includes font type (Arial, Times New Roman), font size, bold (B), italic (I), underline (U), font colour, highlight colour and text effects — all found in the Home tab → Font group.
- Paragraph formatting: Alignment (left, centre, right, justify), line spacing, indentation, bullets, numbering and borders — located in Home tab → Paragraph group.
- Page Layout settings: Paper size (A4, Letter, Legal), orientation (Portrait/Landscape), margins, columns and page breaks — found under Page Layout tab.
Watch out for
- Confusing Save and Save As: Save (Ctrl + S) overwrites the existing file; Save As (F12) lets you save with a new name or location. Students often select "Save" when the question asks for saving with a different name.
- Mixing up Cut and Copy: Cut (Ctrl + X) removes the original text; Copy (Ctrl + C) keeps the original. Read the question carefully to check if the original should remain.
- Wrong tab for tables: Tables are inserted from the Insert tab, not the Home tab. The Home tab handles formatting, not insertion of objects.
Quick reference
- Ctrl + S = Save | F12 = Save As | Ctrl + P = Print
- Ctrl + B/I/U = Bold / Italic / Underline
- Tables: Insert tab → Table | Headers/Footers: Insert tab
- Page orientation and margins: Page Layout tab
- Default extension: .docx | Template extension: .dotx
Check yourself: 3 questions
1. In MS Word, which keyboard shortcut is used to make selected text bold?
2. A student wants to insert a table with 5 rows and 4 columns in MS Word. Which menu should be used to insert the table?
3. In MS Word, if you want to change the line spacing of a paragraph to 1.5 lines, which group in the Home tab contains this option?
This lesson is cut from the topic's note, not rewritten. Fact-checked on 18 Oct 2026: an AI-assisted check of this note against cited sources; the errors it found were corrected that day. Some errors may remain. The questions are from Shishya's validated question bank.
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