Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

Word 2010

How to Create Newspaper-Style Columns in Microsoft Word

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Newspaper-style columns, which are also called newsletter columns, allow text and images to flow from one column to the next. This tutorial shows how to create newspaper-style columns in Microsoft Word. We’ll also look at how to create column breaks and how to return to a single column. Quick Links: How to Create Newspaper-Style Columns How to Create Column Breaks … [Read more...] about How to Create Newspaper-Style Columns in Microsoft Word

How to Insert Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to insert headers and footers in Microsoft Word. We’ll also look at how to edit and delete existing headers and footers. Quick Links: How to Insert Headers and Footers How to Edit Headers and Footers How to Delete Headers and Footers If you want to insert page numbers in headers or footers, please see “How to Add Page Numbers in … [Read more...] about How to Insert Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word

How to Insert Placeholder Text in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to insert placeholder text in Microsoft Word without copying and pasting it from another source. Placeholder text, which is also called random text, filler text, or dummy text, fills space in a document for formatting or layout purposes. First, we’re going to look at how to create three types of placeholder text: random text, the classic “quick brown … [Read more...] about How to Insert Placeholder Text in Microsoft Word

How to Create Drop Caps in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to create drop caps in Microsoft Word. A drop cap is a large letter at the start of a paragraph. Drop caps are traditionally used as decorative elements at the start of a document or the start of a chapter. In addition to creating drop caps, we’ll also look at how to add extra customizations such as different font colors, background colors, and drop … [Read more...] about How to Create Drop Caps in Microsoft Word

How to Change the Default Font in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to change the default font in Microsoft Word. Specifically, we will look at how to change the default font for normal body text. Then, we will look at how to restore Word’s original defaults by replacing the normal.dotm template file through the Windows File Explorer. Quick Links: How to Change the Default Font for Body Text How to Restore … [Read more...] about How to Change the Default Font in Microsoft Word

How to Change the Font, Font Size, and Font Color in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows three ways to change the font, font size, and font color in Microsoft Word. First, we’ll use the font options in the ribbon. Then, we’ll use the Mini toolbar. Finally, we’ll use the Font dialog box. Do you want to change your default font, font size, or font color? Check out my other tutorial "How to Change the Default Font in Microsoft Word." Quick … [Read more...] about How to Change the Font, Font Size, and Font Color in Microsoft Word

How to Change the Style of Hyperlinks in Microsoft Word

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We recently created hyperlinks in Microsoft Word to external files, websites, and email addresses. In today’s tutorial, we are going to change the style of hyperlinks in Microsoft Word. Style includes the font, font size, font color, and emphasis (i.e., bold font, italics, and underlining). The style settings for followed and unfollowed hyperlinks are different, so we will … [Read more...] about How to Change the Style of Hyperlinks in Microsoft Word

How to Create External Hyperlinks in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to create external hyperlinks in Microsoft Word. Specifically, we will create links to separate files, websites, and email addresses. We will also look at how to edit or remove hyperlinks. Lastly, we will go through the steps to turn off automatic hyperlinking in Word. Quick Links: How to Create Hyperlinks to Separate Files, Websites, and … [Read more...] about How to Create External Hyperlinks in Microsoft Word

How to Add Page Numbers in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)

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This tutorial explains the basics of working with page numbers in Microsoft Word. We will begin by adding page numbers. Then, we will format page numbers, remove page numbers from the first page, and start the second page with page number 1. Table of Contents How to add page numbers How to format page numbers How to remove the page number from the first page … [Read more...] about How to Add Page Numbers in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)

How to Convert Microsoft Word Files to PDFs (Step-by-Step)

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This tutorial shows how to convert Microsoft Word files to PDFs. There are several ways to accomplish this task in Microsoft Word, so today we will focus on the method I believe is the most user-friendly. In the final section, we will also briefly discuss the Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker add-in and look at how to use it. (The Acrobat PDFMaker add-in is not required to follow the … [Read more...] about How to Convert Microsoft Word Files to PDFs (Step-by-Step)

How to Convert PDFs to Microsoft Word Files in Adobe Acrobat

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There are multiple ways to convert PDFs to Microsoft Word files in Adobe Acrobat. In this tutorial, we are going to look at the method I believe is the most user-friendly. Then, we’ll look at two alternative methods you may want to use instead. Do you need to convert a Word file to a PDF? Please see my other tutorial “How to Convert Microsoft Word Files to PDFs.” This … [Read more...] about How to Convert PDFs to Microsoft Word Files in Adobe Acrobat

How to Modify the Style of Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word

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Today, we’re going to modify the style of footnotes and endnotes in Microsoft Word. We’re also going to modify the style of the superscripted reference numbers, letters, and symbols in the text. Style includes font, font size, color, emphasis (italics, bold, underline), alignment, spacing, and indentation. Plus, the bonus section at the end shows how to delete or modify the … [Read more...] about How to Modify the Style of Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word

How to Create and Update a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word

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There are several ways to create a table of contents in Microsoft Word. In this tutorial, we are going to look at the two most convenient ways. Plus, we are going to update a table of contents after making changes to the document. We will also delete a table of contents. How to Create a Built-In Table of Contents How to Create a Custom Table of Contents How to … [Read more...] about How to Create and Update a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word

How to Create Hanging Indents in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)

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When a paragraph has a hanging indent, the first line extends farther to the left than the rest of the lines. Hanging indents are common in bibliographies, reference lists, and works cited pages. This tutorial shows two ways to create hanging indents in Microsoft Word: Create hanging indents with the ruler Create hanging indents with the paragraph dialog box The … [Read more...] about How to Create Hanging Indents in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)

How to Adjust Page Margins in Microsoft Word (Three Methods)

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There are three different ways to adjust page margins in Microsoft Word: Adjust page margins with the ruler Use preset margins Create custom margins This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time. https://youtu.be/tTJEZ4egnZI Watch more than 100 other document software tutorials on my YouTube channel. The images … [Read more...] about How to Adjust Page Margins in Microsoft Word (Three Methods)

How to Insert Playing Card Symbols in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to insert playing card symbols in Microsoft Word. The four traditional playing card symbols—the heart, club, diamond, and spade—were popularized in the fifteenth century.* In fact, we might consider them antique emoji because they have a storied history of expressing emotion well beyond the gaming table. This longevity makes them an excellent option … [Read more...] about How to Insert Playing Card Symbols in Microsoft Word

How to Cross-Reference Tables and Figures in Microsoft Word

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In a recent tutorial, we looked at how to insert table titles and figure captions in Microsoft Word. Today, we’re going to use those titles and captions to cross-reference tables and figures in Microsoft Word. One benefit of using cross-references in Word is that they can be hyperlinked to the connected table or figure. In addition, Word’s cross-references can be easily … [Read more...] about How to Cross-Reference Tables and Figures in Microsoft Word

How to Change the Color of Track Changes in Microsoft Word

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Do you prefer editing with a specific color? If so, you can change the color of Track Changes markup in Microsoft Word. Specifically, you can choose from eighteen different colors for insertions, deletions, text movements, and comment balloon borders, as shown in this tutorial. Before starting the tutorial, please review these important notes: Track Changes colors apply … [Read more...] about How to Change the Color of Track Changes in Microsoft Word

How to Create and Update a List of Tables or Figures in Microsoft Word

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As shown in this tutorial, you can quickly create a list of tables or figures in Microsoft Word if you used Word’s caption tool to number your tables and figures. (See “How to Insert Figure Captions in Microsoft Word” for step-by-step instructions on using the caption tool.) We will also look at how to update the list as you add, move, or delete tables or … [Read more...] about How to Create and Update a List of Tables or Figures in Microsoft Word

How to Adjust Line Spacing in Microsoft Word

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There are several ways to adjust line spacing in Microsoft Word. Today’s tutorial explains the basic method using the ribbon and a more advanced method using the Paragraph dialog box. See the Quick Tip at the bottom of this tutorial to learn how to single-space an entire document from the Paragraph dialog box. This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the … [Read more...] about How to Adjust Line Spacing in Microsoft Word

How to Update Table and Figure Numbers in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to update table and figure numbers in Microsoft Word. In a recent tutorial, we used Word’s caption tool to insert table titles and figure captions. One of the main benefits of using this tool is that Word will automatically number new tables and figures as you add titles and captions (e.g., Table 1, Table 2, Table 3). However, Word won’t automatically … [Read more...] about How to Update Table and Figure Numbers in Microsoft Word

How to Change the Style of Table Titles and Figure Captions in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to change the style of table titles and figure captions in Microsoft Word. Recently, we inserted table titles and figure captions in Word. Today, we’ll change the style (e.g., font, font size, color, alignment, etc.) of those titles and captions. We’ll look at three different processes: 1. How to change the style of existing and future table … [Read more...] about How to Change the Style of Table Titles and Figure Captions in Microsoft Word

How to Create, Change, and Delete Tabs in Microsoft Word

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When you press the Tab key while working in Microsoft Word, your cursor moves to a specific location called a tab stop. Tabs can be used to indent paragraphs, but they can also be used for other purposes including creating single- and multi-column lists. This tutorial shows (1) how to change Word’s default tab and (2) how to create, change, and delete tabs in Word on the … [Read more...] about How to Create, Change, and Delete Tabs in Microsoft Word

How to Stop Microsoft Word from Calling You “Author” in Track Changes

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Does Track Changes identify you as “Author” instead of your user name when you are making edits or writing comments? If so, someone has used the Document Inspector to remove hidden properties and user information from your file. This tutorial shows the basic method to stop Microsoft Word from calling you “Author” in Track Changes and comments and start using your user name, … [Read more...] about How to Stop Microsoft Word from Calling You “Author” in Track Changes

How to Create a Nonbreaking Dash in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows you how to create a nonbreaking dash in Microsoft Word. A nonbreaking dash will stop words or numbers connected by an en dash or em dash from separating at the end of a line. These steps can also be used for hyphens. However, Word provides a built-in nonbreaking hyphen that is simpler to use than the process for dashes. See the bonus section at the end of … [Read more...] about How to Create a Nonbreaking Dash in Microsoft Word

How to Insert Figure Captions and Table Titles in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to insert figure captions and table titles in Microsoft Word. One of the benefits of using Word’s caption tool, as opposed to just typing captions and titles manually, is that the caption and title numbers will automatically update as you add figures or tables. You can also use the captions and titles generated by Word's caption tool to create … [Read more...] about How to Insert Figure Captions and Table Titles in Microsoft Word

How to Create a Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word

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All Microsoft Word users have a default custom dictionary that acts as a catchall for their spelling preferences. In fact, every time you right-click on a flagged word (which may or may not be misspelled) and select “Add to Dictionary,” that word goes to your default custom dictionary. However, you can create additional custom dictionaries in Microsoft Word for specific … [Read more...] about How to Create a Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word

How to Create and Customize Headings in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

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This tutorial shows how to create headings in Microsoft Word. First, we’ll look at how to create headings using Word’s built-in styles. Then, we’ll look at how to customize Word’s built-in heading styles to your preferred font, font size, alignment, and color. Do you want to create your own custom heading styles separate from Word's built-in styles? Check out "How to … [Read more...] about How to Create and Customize Headings in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

Three Ways to Insert Superscripts and Subscripts in Microsoft Word

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Superscripts are numbers, letters, or symbols that appear slightly above the surrounding text. Subscripts are letters, numbers, words, or phrases that appear slightly below the surrounding text. This tutorial shows how to insert superscripts and subscripts in Microsoft Word using three different tools: 1. The Superscript and Subscript Buttons 2. The Symbol Dialog Box 3. … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Superscripts and Subscripts in Microsoft Word

How to Copy and Paste Text with Comments and Track Changes in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to copy and paste text with comments and Track Changes in Word from one file to another. If you want to copy comments separately from the text or other Track Changes, visit “How to Copy and Paste Comments into a New File in Microsoft Word.” The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. The steps are the same for Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word … [Read more...] about How to Copy and Paste Text with Comments and Track Changes in Microsoft Word

How to Find Extra Spaces in Word

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You can use Microsoft Word’s Find and Replace tool to delete extra spaces all at once. Or, you can find extra spaces in Word by customizing your proofing options and then deleting them individually as you type or during a Spelling & Grammar check. These three tasks are explained in this tutorial: Customize Word’s Proofing Options to Find Extra Spaces Delete Extra Spaces … [Read more...] about How to Find Extra Spaces in Word

How to Change the Font and Font Size of Comments in Microsoft Word

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By default, Track Changes inherit preset styles from the body content. However, you can change these styles to make your edits more noticeable or easier to read. For example, you can change the font and font size of comments in Microsoft Word, as shown in this tutorial. This tutorial can also be used to change other styles in Word comments such as color, spacing, and … [Read more...] about How to Change the Font and Font Size of Comments in Microsoft Word

How to Search within Comments in Microsoft Word

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In my last software tutorial, we viewed comments from specific reviewers in Microsoft Word. Today, we’ll look at how to quickly search within comments in Microsoft Word without having to search the whole document. For added efficiency, this tutorial includes an option to search all comments or limit the search to comments from specific reviewers. (See step 3 below.) We’ll … [Read more...] about How to Search within Comments in Microsoft Word

How to View Specific Reviewers’ Comments and Edits in Microsoft Word

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Long documents can have hundreds or even thousands of markups, which can make finding individual feedback quite time-consuming. Today’s tutorial shows how to quickly view specific reviewers’ comments and edits in Microsoft Word. First, we’ll use Track Changes to view comments and edits from specific reviewers. Then, we’ll use the Navigation pane to view comments (but not … [Read more...] about How to View Specific Reviewers’ Comments and Edits in Microsoft Word

How to Insert Copyright, Trademark, and Registered Symbols in Microsoft Word

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Microsoft Word includes twenty-seven special characters. Of those, the three most popular (or at least the ones I receive the most questions about) are the copyright, trademark, and registered symbols. So, today’s tutorial shows three ways to insert copyright, trademark, and registered symbols in Microsoft Word. First, we'll use the Symbol dialog box. Then, we'll use … [Read more...] about How to Insert Copyright, Trademark, and Registered Symbols in Microsoft Word

How to Restrict Style Changes in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to restrict style changes in Microsoft Word. My last software tutorial explained how to restrict Track Changes and comments in Word. Today, we will restrict style changes in Word. Style includes things such as font, font size, font color, emphasis (i.e., italics, bold font, underlining), line spacing, and indentation. We’ll also look at how to … [Read more...] about How to Restrict Style Changes in Microsoft Word

Three Ways to Indent Paragraphs in Microsoft Word

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Block paragraphs are the default in Microsoft Word. Block paragraphs are aligned with the left margin with no indentation and are visually separated by line spaces. Although block paragraphs are popular online, traditionally indented paragraphs are more common in print publishing, business writing, and academic research. Today’s tutorial shows three ways to indent paragraphs in … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Indent Paragraphs in Microsoft Word

How to Use the Spelling and Grammar Check in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to use the spelling and grammar check in Microsoft Word 2016. The steps are similar for Word 2013 and Word 2010. If you use Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, or Word 2019, the spelling and grammar check is now called the Editor. Visit "How to Use the Editor in Microsoft Word" for a complete tour of the new interface. This tutorial is available as … [Read more...] about How to Use the Spelling and Grammar Check in Microsoft Word

How to Copy and Paste Comments into a New File in Microsoft Word

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Have you ever wanted to copy and paste Microsoft Word comments into a new Word file in order to review them separately from the original document? Word doesn’t have an official method for copying and pasting comments. However, today’s tutorial shows the work-around I use to accomplish that task---without having to copy and paste each comment individually. Important note: … [Read more...] about How to Copy and Paste Comments into a New File in Microsoft Word

How to Remove User Names from Existing Track Changes in Microsoft Word

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My previous tutorial “How to Change Your User Name for Track Changes in Microsoft Word” shows how to change user names for comments and edits created with Track Changes. However, Word doesn’t have a straightforward way to change user names connected to existing comments and edits, so that tutorial only works for new comments and edits. As an alternative, today’s tutorial … [Read more...] about How to Remove User Names from Existing Track Changes in Microsoft Word

How to Find and Replace Special Characters in Microsoft Word

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‎This tutorial shows you three ways to find and replace special characters in Microsoft Word: 1. Enter special characters directly into the Find and Replace dialog box 2. Select special characters from within the Find and Replace dialog box 3. Use keyboard shortcuts or caret codes We’ll focus on the preset special characters available through Word’s Symbol dialog … [Read more...] about How to Find and Replace Special Characters in Microsoft Word

Three Ways to Insert Special Characters in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows three ways to insert special characters in Microsoft Word: 1. The Symbol dialog box 2. Keyboard shortcuts 3. AutoCorrect Word’s special characters include twelve text characters, such as the en dash, that don’t appear on traditional keyboards and fifteen formatting characters, such as the nonbreaking hyphen, that affect text layout. The table below lists … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Special Characters in Microsoft Word

What Are Special Characters in Microsoft Word?

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Microsoft Word includes two types of special characters: (1) text characters that don’t appear on standard keyboards and (2) formatting characters for text layout. Today’s post explains all of the special characters in Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. Word 2013 and Word 2010 offer similar special character options. See "How to Insert … [Read more...] about What Are Special Characters in Microsoft Word?

Three Ways to Insert Accent Marks in Microsoft Word

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Accent marks, formally called diacritical marks, are extra marks that appear above and below individual letters. Their usual purpose is to influence pronunciation. Merriam-Webster lists ten common diacritical marks, including the acute accent (ˊ), grave accent (ˋ), and cedilla (¸).1 Today’s tutorial explains three ways to insert accent marks in Microsoft Word: 1. Insert … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Accent Marks in Microsoft Word

How to Find and Replace Formatting in Microsoft Word

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Document formatting can include anything from italics and fonts to heading styles. Format issues can be difficult to locate with the naked eye, so today’s tutorial shows two methods to find and replace formatting in Microsoft Word: 1. Find and Replace Formatting Applied Anywhere in a Word Document 2. Find and Replace Formatting Applied to Specific Text in a Word … [Read more...] about How to Find and Replace Formatting in Microsoft Word

How to View the Word Count in Microsoft Word

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I know what you’re thinking: “What’s there to learn about the word count in Microsoft Word? The number is right there at the bottom of the screen!” And that is true. Unless you’ve changed your default settings, the count always appears in the left-hand side of the status bar below your document. But Word’s word count tool can do more than provide the total number of … [Read more...] about How to View the Word Count in Microsoft Word

How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to insert footnotes and endnotes in Microsoft Word using the tools in the ribbon. Manually inserting individual footnotes and endnotes in Word is relatively straightforward: type a superscript number in the main text and then scroll to the bottom of the page, section, or document to type your note. But manually inserting notes can get tricky if … [Read more...] about How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word

How to Change the Proofing Language for Comments in Microsoft Word

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This tutorial shows how to change the proofing language for comments in Microsoft Word. But first, why would you want to change the proofing language for comments? Because ... Comments in Word Inherit Proofing Languages When you use Word’s Track Changes to edit someone else’s document, the comment tool automatically inherits the original author’s proofing language along … [Read more...] about How to Change the Proofing Language for Comments in Microsoft Word

Three Ways to Insert Currency Symbols in Microsoft Word

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Last week’s post covered basic guidelines for formatting money in general writing. This week, we’ll look at three ways to insert currency symbols in Microsoft Word: The Symbol Dialog Box Alt Codes Shortcut Codes For simplicity, we’ll concentrate on the euro, pound, and cent signs in these examples. However, these steps can be modified for all currency symbols available … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Currency Symbols in Microsoft Word

Four Tips for Using the Spelling and Grammar Check in Word

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When you inherit a Microsoft Word document, the original author's settings can affect the document even when you open it on your own computer. These lingering and potentially unwanted settings may prevent you from receiving a complete spelling and grammar check from Word’s Editor. Here are four quick tips for using the spelling and grammar check in Word effectively—even if your … [Read more...] about Four Tips for Using the Spelling and Grammar Check in Word

How to Edit Your Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word

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Microsoft Word's spell-check is quite good. However, it occasionally puts that squiggly red line under something that is spelled correctly. Maybe it's a product, place, or company name. Maybe it's a person's first or last name. Regardless, most of us just right-click and select "Add to Dictionary" if we know we'll be using that word again. But, have you ever wondered where … [Read more...] about How to Edit Your Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word

How to Add Passive Voice to Microsoft Word’s Grammar Check and Readability Statistics

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Last week's post discussed the difference between active voice and passive voice. The steps below explain how to add passive voice to Microsoft Word's grammar check and readability statistics. This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time. https://youtu.be/h-7tN5B3Gxc Watch more than 150 other writing-related software tutorials on my … [Read more...] about How to Add Passive Voice to Microsoft Word’s Grammar Check and Readability Statistics

How to Delete Extra Spaces in Microsoft Word

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Many of us over a certain age endured a high school typing class on a (gasp!) real typewriter. Between nerve-wracking speed tests and paper jams, we were taught to put two spaces after periods in order to make individual sentences easier to identify. Today, the extra space is frowned upon, but those of us who survived an entire semester with one of those metal monsters may find … [Read more...] about How to Delete Extra Spaces in Microsoft Word