MS Word Notes for SSC Exams

MS Word is the most asked application of MS Office in SSC Computer Knowledge. The questions are about tabs, features, file extensions and shortcut keys. These MS Word notes for SSC list all the important facts in tables, followed by practice questions. Also read the MS Office Notes, MS Excel Notes and Computer Shortcut Keys notes.

What Is MS Word?

• MS Word is a word processing software of Microsoft Office, used to create letters, reports, resumes and books.
• The file extension is .docx (Word 2007 and later) and .doc (older versions). A template has the extension .dotx.
• A Word file is called a document.
• The default page orientation is portrait. The other option is landscape.

Parts of the Word Window

Tabs of the Ribbon

Important Features

• Mail merge creates many letters with different names and addresses from one template and a data source. It is in the Mailings tab.
• Header and footer are text at the top and bottom of every page. They are in the Insert tab.
• Format Painter copies the formatting of one text to another.
• Track Changes shows all edits made by the reviewers.
• Drop cap makes the first letter of a paragraph large.
• Find and Replace searches and replaces words (Ctrl+F and Ctrl+H).
• Thesaurus gives synonyms (Shift+F7). Spelling check is F7.

Important Shortcut Keys of MS Word

History and Versions of MS Word

• MS Word was first released in 1983 as Multi-Tool Word for Unix and MS-DOS. Charles Simonyi and Richard Brodie created it.
• Word became popular with Windows and was included in Microsoft Office from 1990.
• Word 2007 introduced the Ribbon and the new .docx format. Later versions are Word 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and Word for Microsoft 365 (cloud based).
• Other word processors are Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer, WordPad and Notepad (a text editor, not a word processor).

Home Tab in Detail

• Subscript lowers the text (H2O) with Ctrl + =. Superscript raises the text (x squared) with Ctrl + Shift + =.
• Indent moves a paragraph from the margin. Line spacing is the space between lines.
• Bullets mark a list with symbols; numbering marks it with numbers.
• The default font size is 11 or 12 points in different versions, and 1 inch equals 72 points.

Insert Tab in Detail

Page Layout, References, Mailings and Review Tabs

Mail Merge Step by Step

1. Create the main document (the letter) with fixed text.
2. Create or select the data source (a list of names and addresses in Word, Excel or Access).
3. Insert the merge fields, such as Name and Address, in the main document.
4. Preview the results.
5. Finish and merge to a new document, to the printer or to emails.

The two files used in mail merge are the main document and the data source. The merge fields are shown in the form of double angle brackets.

Selecting, Moving and Editing Text

• Insert mode pushes the existing text ahead, and Overtype mode (Insert key) replaces the text.
• Autosave and AutoRecover protect the document from loss.
• A template is a ready-made design for a document, such as a resume or a letter (.dotx).
• Protect Document sets a password to open or edit the file.
• The Print Preview and the print option are in the File tab (Ctrl + P).

Important Questions Explained

Question 1: What is the default file extension of MS Word 2007 and later?
Answer: .docx

Question 2: Which tab contains the mail merge option?
Answer: The Mailings tab.

Question 3: Which key is used for the spelling and grammar check?
Answer: F7.

Question 4: Which shortcut key is used to centre align the text?
Answer: Ctrl + E.

Question 5: What is the text at the bottom of every page called?
Answer: The footer.

Question 6: Which feature copies the formatting from one text to another?
Answer: The Format Painter.

Quick Tips to Remember

• Learn the tabs in order: File, Home, Insert, Design, Layout, References, Mailings, Review, View.
• Link Mailings with mail merge and Review with track changes and spelling.
• Remember Ctrl+E for centre, Ctrl+L for left, Ctrl+R for right and Ctrl+J for justify.
• Remember .docx for Word, .xlsx for Excel and .pptx for PowerPoint.
• Questions often ask "which tab" for a given command, so revise the tab table.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Writing mail merge under the Insert tab.
• Confusing Save (Ctrl+S) with Save As (F12).
• Mixing Ctrl+E (centre) with Ctrl+C (copy).
• Confusing the header with the footer.
• Writing .doc as the default extension of the latest versions.

Quick Revision Points

• Word = word processor, extension .docx.
• Mailings tab = mail merge. Review tab = spelling, track changes. Insert tab = table, picture, header, footer.
• Ctrl+E centre, Ctrl+J justify, Ctrl+B bold.
• F7 = spell check, Shift+F7 = thesaurus, F12 = Save As.
• Header is at the top and footer at the bottom of the page.

Practice Questions With Answers

1. MS Word is a?
   Answer: Word processing software (Part of MS Office).
2. The extension of a Word 2016 file is?
   Answer: .docx (Older: .doc).
3. Mail merge is in which tab?
   Answer: Mailings (Used for bulk letters).
4. Which shortcut makes the text bold?
   Answer: Ctrl + B (Underline is Ctrl + U).
5. Which key opens the spelling check?
   Answer: F7 (Shift + F7 is thesaurus).
6. The page border option is in which tab?
   Answer: Design (Page Layout) (Page Background group).
7. Which tab has the track changes option?
   Answer: Review (Also comments).
8. Which shortcut is used to insert a page break?
   Answer: Ctrl + Enter (New page).
9. Text at the top of every page is called?
   Answer: Header (Insert tab).
10. Which shortcut is used for Save As?
    Answer: F12 (Ctrl + S is Save).

More Practice Questions With Answers

1. In which year was MS Word first released?
   Answer: 1983 (Multi-Tool Word).
2. What is the shortcut for subscript?
   Answer: Ctrl + = (H2O).
3. What is the shortcut for superscript?
   Answer: Ctrl + Shift + = (x squared).
4. What is the default alignment of a Word document?
   Answer: Left (Text).
5. Which command is used to mark the first letter large?
   Answer: Drop cap (Insert tab).
6. Which option adds a table of contents?
   Answer: References tab (Heading styles).
7. How do you select a paragraph quickly?
   Answer: Triple-click (Mouse).
8. What are the two files in mail merge?
   Answer: Main document and data source (Mailings).
9. Which view shows the document as it will be printed?
   Answer: Print Layout view (View tab).
10. Which key switches between insert and overtype mode?
    Answer: Insert (Typing mode).
11. What is the extension of a Word template?
    Answer: .dotx (Template).
12. Which feature saves a document automatically at intervals?
    Answer: AutoRecover (AutoSave) (Protection).

How to Practise This Chapter

1. Read the tables once and learn the key facts by heart.
2. Revise the quick revision points the next day.
3. Attempt the practice questions above without looking at the answers.
4. Solve a full SSC CGL Tier 1 mini mock to test your general awareness.
5. Check the previous year papers to see how SSC asks computer questions.

Related Notes and Practice Papers

• MS Office Notes
• MS Excel Notes
• MS PowerPoint Notes
• Computer Shortcut Keys
• SSC CGL Tier 1 Mini Mock

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is MS Word?

MS Word is a word processing program from Microsoft Office used to create and edit documents.

What is the extension of an MS Word file?

The extension is .docx for newer versions and .doc for older versions.

Which tab has mail merge?

Mail merge is in the Mailings tab.

What is the shortcut for Save As?

F12 opens the Save As dialog box.

What are headers and footers?

A header is text at the top of each page, and a footer is text at the bottom of each page.

What is the Format Painter?

The Format Painter copies the formatting from one piece of text and applies it to another.

How do I insert a page break?

Press Ctrl + Enter to insert a page break.

What is the use of the Review tab?

It has spelling and grammar, thesaurus, word count, comments and track changes.

How many questions come from MS Word in SSC exams?

One or two questions usually come from MS Office, and Word is the most asked part.

What is the difference between Save and Save As?

Save (Ctrl + S) saves the changes in the same file, while Save As (F12) saves the document with a new name, a new place or a new format.

What is a template in MS Word?

A template is a ready-made document design, such as a resume or letter, from which a new document can be made.

What are the steps of mail merge?

Make the main document, choose the data source, insert the merge fields, preview and finish the merge.