Word with Screen Reader: Cut, Copy and Paste

Hello, my name is Vikki Vaughan. Today we will discuss using shortcut commands to cut, copy, and paste text in a Word document.

In our previous video Selecting Text we learned about using keyboard shortcuts to select text. The next phase in the editing process is to store our selected text to the clipboard. As we learned in our previous video the clipboard is a short-term storage area within our computer. Once we select text we have several options. We can either cut or copy it to the clipboard or paste it into another location.

All of these editing commands allow us to quickly arrange and organize our document. We can also seamlessly move text from one application to another. We have a document, the Declaration of Independence, opened on our desktop. We'll use this Word document to illustrate our clipboard options.

We'll start with the cutting shortcut control + X. The term cutting refers to selecting and removing information whether it's text, an image, a file, or an entire folder. As we discussed in Hadley's Text Selection video, to cut or move text we must first select it. Let's select a word with Control + Shift + right arrow.

Screen Reader: Declaration selected.

Vikki: Now I will press Control + X to cut it from our document. It is moved to the clipboard where it will be held until I need it. In NVDA we can read what is currently on the clipboard by using the shortcut command of NVDA + C. Let's try that now, NVDA + C.

Screen Reader: Declaration.

Vikki: The JAWS command to read the contents of the clipboard is JAWS + Shift + down arrow. Just a note, if we have a large amount of text on the clipboard instead of reading it all NVDA will announce how much text is currently on the clipboard.

As with NVDA if there's a large amount of text on the clipboard JAWS will also announce the number of characters selected. This JAWS command only announces copied text on the clipboard not cut text.

There is an important note about the cut command. As we've just learned, each time you cut a word or phrase it is stored on the clipboard. The newly cut text replaces text that was previously stored on the clipboard. We can only access the most recently cut or copied text on our clipboard. A word or phrase that we cut several commands back has now been replaced by our most recently cut or copied text.

Let's examine our most frequently used editing commands copy and paste. As I mentioned earlier, we can copy text in one application and paste it into another application. We can copy an entire document and paste it into a new document. It's a handy time saver and the command is easy to remember, Control + C for copy.

Let's try that now. I will select our next paragraph with Control + Shift + down arrow.

Screen Reader: When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which.

Vikki: Then copy the selected text with Control + C. Our screen reader does not automatically announce the copied text. We must use our NVDA + C command to have the contents of the clipboard announced. Let's do that now, NVDA + C.

Screen Reader: When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation dot.

Vikki: As we discussed earlier the JAWS command of Insert + Shift + down arrow announces copy text on the clipboard. As with our cut text copied text is stored on the clipboard for later use. Each time you use the copy command the copied text replaces whatever text was previously stored on the clipboard. Our final step is to paste our copied text in a new location. Control + V is the paste command. An easy way to remember this keyboard shortcut is to think of V for VELCRO. Think of it as VELCROing your copied text into a new location. Let's move to the end of our document with Control + End.

Screen Reader: Page eight blank.

Vikki: Now, let's use our paste command Control + V. Our copied paragraph is pasted at the end of our document. In Microsoft Word when we copy text the style of the original text is also copied. When text is pasted we can choose the style of the pasted text. The exact options that are available depend on the styles used and whether the same style is available in the current document. To choose how pasted text is styled first press Control + V to paste then press and release Control once again. Let's do that now, Control + V then we'll press Control once again.

Screen Reader: Paste options, grouping checked, menu.

Vikki: From here, we have several choices. To keep the text original style we press the letter K. To merge the style with the document's current styles we press the letter M. To keep the text only we press the letter T. Another option after pressing Control + V to paste then Control to bring up the paste options is to press Tab to move through the options we just discussed plus one additional choice set paste default. After making our choice we press Enter to activate. Let's do that now, Control + V then Control.

Screen Reader: Paste options, grouping.

Vikki: Then we'll tab through our various options.

Screen Reader: Keep source formatting checked and keep source formatting K. Merge formatting and merge formatting M. Keep text only, keep and text only T. Set default paste.

Vikki: To close this window we press Escape.

Screen Reader: The Declaration of Independence Word. The Declaration of Independence Microsoft Word document edited multiline.

Vikki: When we prefer to not open the paste option and accept the default paste we have two choices. We can either press any other key and the past options will disappear or we can press Escape to remove the paste options popup immediately. Let's try both of those options now. I'll try the first one with Control + V then I'll press the letter F.

Screen Reader: F.

Vikki: Now I'll try the second option. I'll press Control + V then I'll press Escape. When we paste we also have an option that allows us to paste special the contents from the clipboard. The keyboard command to paste special is Control + Alt + V. Let's try that now, Control + Alt + V.

Screen Reader: Paste special dialogue Microsoft Word document source result as list HTML format.

Vikki: This option enables us to determine if we wish to have the materials pasted as a Microsoft Word object RTF text, unformatted text, a picture file, an HTML file, or an unformatted unicode file. We use our up or down arrow keys to navigate between the various choices. Let's move through those choices now.

Screen Reader: Unformatted unicode text, HTML format, picture enhanced metafile, unformatted text, formatted text, RTF, Microsoft Word document object.

Vikki: Once we've chosen, we press the Enter key to execute our command. We can also press Escape to close this window without selecting a format. I'll press Escape now.

Screen Reader: The Declaration of Independence Word.

Vikki: With these helpful tips you can use Microsoft Word's clipboard feature to arrange and organize your document. I'm Vikki Vaughan and I think you for joining me today.