In Microsoft Word style editors, pressing the F8 key repeatedly extends the text selection in a specific pattern. When you press the F8 key three times in succession, which part of the document is selected automatically?

Introduction / Context:
This question relates to keyboard shortcuts in word processing software such as Microsoft Word. The F8 key is known as the extend selection key and can be used to expand the selected text without using the mouse. Different numbers of F8 presses select different ranges of text. Knowing these shortcuts can make text editing much faster and more efficient, especially for users who type heavily and prefer to keep their hands on the keyboard.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The question focuses on the specific case of pressing the F8 key three times. The options describe selection of a sentence, a word, the entire document, or a paragraph. We assume the environment is a typical Microsoft Word like editor where the F8 behavior follows the standard pattern. We also assume that no other modifier keys such as Shift or Ctrl are being used and that the document is in a normal editing mode.

Concept / Approach:
In Word, the F8 key acts in stages. The first press turns on extend selection mode, allowing the user to use arrow keys to expand the selection. The second press automatically selects the current word at the cursor. The third press extends that selection to include the entire sentence that contains the cursor. A fourth press typically selects the whole paragraph, and a fifth press selects the entire document. Therefore, when the F8 key is pressed three times, the selection level moves from word to sentence, and the correct answer is that a sentence is selected.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the sequence of F8 presses in Microsoft Word.Step 2: First press of F8 activates extend selection mode but does not automatically select a unit.Step 3: Second press of F8 selects the word at the cursor.Step 4: Third press of F8 extends the selection to the entire sentence containing the cursor, which matches option A.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this behavior by opening a Word document, placing the cursor in a sentence, and pressing F8 repeatedly. After the second press, the word is highlighted. After the third press, the entire sentence becomes highlighted. Pressing F8 again will highlight the paragraph, and pressing it one more time will highlight the whole document. Documentation and help guides for Word also describe this staged selection behavior, which confirms that three presses select a sentence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is wrong because a single word is selected after two presses of F8, not three. Option C is wrong because selecting the whole document typically happens after five presses, not three. Option D is wrong because the paragraph is selected after four presses, not three. Only option A correctly describes that three presses of the F8 key select the sentence where the cursor is currently placed.

Common Pitfalls:
Users often confuse the order of selections when pressing F8 multiple times, especially if they rarely use this feature. Another pitfall is assuming that F8 always selects the entire document after a fixed number of presses without understanding the intermediate stages. Mixing up the difference between a sentence and a paragraph is also common; a sentence ends with punctuation, while a paragraph ends at a line break. Remembering the sequence word, sentence, paragraph, document helps avoid errors and makes it easier to use F8 effectively.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is A single sentence that the cursor is currently in.