Adding Borders to Text

Word allows you to quickly and easily add borders to selected text in your documents. Normally, you would add borders to entire paragraphs to make them stand out from surrounding text. (You learned how to do this in other WordTips.) However, if you are using Word 97 or later, you can also add borders to specific text within a paragraph. Simply follow these steps:

1. Select the text that you want bordered.
2. Select the Borders and Shading option from the Format menu. You will see the Borders and Shading dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.) (Notice that Text is already specified in the Apply To drop-down list.)
3. Use one of the preset boxes available in the dialog box, according to your desires.
4. If you want a custom border, select the Custom option from the Setting box. Then, you can control the border by clicking on the line buttons located in the Preview box.
5. Select a line type from the Style list.
6. To adjust the distance the borders of the box will be from the paragraph text, click on the options button to get the From text options.
7. Change any of the From text distances, clicking OK when done.
8. Click on OK to close the Borders and Shading dialog box.