How To
Cut, Copy and Paste
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Who Should Read This Tutorial:
All Computer Users

Working with text is one of the most common actions for any computer user.  Being able to manipulate text easily and with speed is so important.  In truth, being able to cut, copy and paste text is fundamental for using a computer as it was intended - to save time and make mundane functions easy.  Here's our tutorial on "cut, copy and paste" with a place for you to practice.


Copying and Pasting Text

We'll start with copying and pasting text.  Although there are several ways to perform these tasks, we're going to use the keyboard shortcut method.

Let's say we want to copy the sentence in the following box and place it into another document or email.  The first thing you need to do is place your cursor in front of the first letter in the sentence (move your cursor there and then left-click your mouse.)  When the cursor is in position, you should see it turn into something that looks like this: Cursor.  Now, hold down the left mouse button and slide your mouse to the right until all of the sentence is highlighted (the text will change color).  Let go of the mouse button. 

Next, copy the highlighted sentence (or any portion of the sentence) by using the following keyboard shortcut:
Windows: CTRL + C; Mac: COMMAND + C

Please note: you use a shortcut by holding down the first key and then tapping the last key. If there are more than two keys in a shortcut, you hold the keys down in order, still tapping the last key.

Try it in this box:

Next, go to the email or other text document where you want to paste what you copied.  Click your cursor at the spot where the text should go.  Now, use the following keyboard shortcuts to paste your sentence into the blank box below: 
Windows: CTRL + V; Mac: COMMAND + V

How did you do?  Hopefully, you now have the same sentence in both of the text boxes above.  If not, go back and try again!


Cutting and Pasting

Cutting and pasting is very much like copying and pasting except that you are moving text instead of just copying it.  Let's see the difference!  Start with the text in this new box.  Just as you did above, click in front of the first letter in the sentence.  Hold down the left-mouse button and slide your mouse to the right.  You'll see the text changing color as you highlight it.  Let go of the mouse button when you've highlighted all you want to move.  Now, use the following keyboard shortcuts to remove the text:
Windows: CTRL + X; Mac: COMMAND + X.  Try it in the following box:

Notice the sentence disappeared after you used the keyboard shortcut.

Now, move to the box below, place your cursor in it by left-clicking.  Then use the following keyboard shortcut to paste your sentence:
Windows: CTRL + V; Mac: COMMAND + V

 

Did it work?  If not, refresh this page, go back, re-read our instructions and try again!  You really, really need to master the art of cut, copy, and paste!

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