Word Processing and Spreadsheet
Primary 6 · Science and Elementary Technology
Word Processing and Spreadsheet
Lesson 1 of 6
14 min
Let's begin
Mutesi typed a notice for her school's environment club: "Tree planting on Friday at 2 pm. Meet at the school gate. Bring gloves and a hoe." She printed it and pinned it up.
On Friday, half the club came without gloves. Every word on the notice looked exactly the same, so nobody noticed the most important line. In this lesson you will learn how to make the important words stand out.
A word processor is a computer program for typing, editing, formatting, saving and printing documents such as letters, notices, stories and reports. Examples are LibreOffice Writer, Microsoft Word, AbiWord and Google Docs.
The steps in this unit work in LibreOffice (free to install on school computers) and in Microsoft Office. Where the two programs differ, both ways are given.
Formatting means changing how text looks without changing what it says. Three of the most useful formats are:
| Format | What it looks like | Button | Shortcut | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bold | thick, dark letters | B | Ctrl + B | Headings and the most important words |
| Italic | letters that lean to the right | I | Ctrl + I | Titles of books, words from another language, gentle emphasis |
| Underline | a line under the letters | U | Ctrl + U | A word that must not be missed |
If your computer is set to French, the same three buttons are labelled G (gras), I (italique) and S (souligné).
Step 1: Select the text. The computer must know which words to change.
Selected text is highlighted, usually in blue.
Step 2: Apply the format. Click the B, I or U button on the Formatting toolbar, or press the shortcut keys. You can use more than one format on the same words, for example bold and italic.
To remove a format, select the text and click the same button again: it works like a light switch, on and off. If you make a mistake, press Ctrl + Z to undo it.
One warning: if everything is bold, nothing stands out. Use formatting only where it helps the reader.
Tip
The shortcut letter is the first letter of the style: Ctrl + B for Bold, Ctrl + I for Italic, Ctrl + U for Underline.
And always remember: select first, then format.
If you have a computer, do these on it. If not, answer them in your exercise book.
Type your full name. Make your first name bold and your family name italic.
Answer: Double-click your first name and press Ctrl + B. Double-click your family name and press Ctrl + I.
Habimana clicked the U button, but no line appeared under any word. What did he forget?
Answer: He did not select any text first.
How do you remove bold from a word?
Answer: Select the word and click the B button again (or press Ctrl + B again).
Which format would you use for the title of a book in a sentence?
Answer: Italic.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
Quick check
Match each format to its shortcut.
Tap one on the left, then its partner on the right.
