Question

While editing a document, you find that pressing tab key is moving the cursor unusually far. The most likely reason is

• A. Line spacing set to 1.5
• B. Wrong page orientation
• C. Tab stop positions have been customized
• D. Paragraph is justified

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Tab stop positions have been customized

MS Word Tab Stops Explained

In Microsoft Word, the Tab key is used to move the cursor to a specific point on the page, known as a tab stop. By default, Word sets tab stops at regular intervals (e.g., every 0.5 inches or 1.27 cm). However, users can customize these positions to align text precisely.

Customized Tab Stop Positions

• When the tab key moves the cursor unusually far, it strongly suggests that the predefined tab stop positions have been altered.

• Users can set, clear, and modify tab stops for individual paragraphs or the entire document.

• The Ruler at the top of the Word document is the primary tool for visually managing tab stops. Different icons on the ruler represent different types of tab stops (left, right, center, decimal, bar).

How Tab Stops Are Customized

1. Using the Ruler: Click on the ruler to set a new tab stop, or click and drag existing tab stops to reposition them. Double-clicking a tab stop on the ruler opens the Tabs dialog box for more precise control.

2. Tabs Dialog Box: Accessed by clicking the small dialog box launcher in the 'Paragraph' group on the 'Home' tab, or by double-clicking a tab stop on the ruler. This dialog box allows setting exact positions, choosing alignment (left, right, center, decimal), and selecting a leader character (e.g., dots or dashes) to fill the space before the tab.