Pressing the NUM PAD 5 speaks the current character, pressing the RIGHT ARROW moves to and reads the next character, and pressing the LEFT ARROW moves to and reads the prior character.
Laptop users press CAPS LOCK+COMMA to read the current character, CAPS LOCK+M for the prior character, and CAPS LOCK+PERIOD for the next character.
To hear a character pronounced phonetically, press NUM PAD 5 twice quickly. As you continue to navigate with LEFT or RIGHT ARROW phonetic mode remains on. To exit phonetic mode, press NUM PAD 5 again one time.
Laptop users press CAPS LOCK+COMMA twice quickly to read the current character phonetically.
To read by words, tuck your thumb under and hold down the INSERT key (NUM PAD 0) while pressing any of the three keys above. Thus INSERT+NUM PAD 5 speaks the current word at the cursor, INSERT+NUM PAD RIGHT ARROW moves to and speaks the next word, and INSERT+NUM PAD LEFT ARROW moves to and speaks the prior word.
Laptop users press CAPS LOCK+K for the current word, CAPS LOCK+J for prior word, and CAPS LOCK+L for next word.
To spell the current word, press INSERT+NUM PAD 5 twice quickly. Once you are in spelling mode JAWS remains that way when moving to the prior word or next word. To exit spelling mode, press the Say Word keystroke again one time.
Laptop users press CAPS LOCK+K twice quickly to spell the current word.
To read by lines, press UP ARROW to move to and read the prior line, DOWN ARROW to move to and speak the next line, and INSERT+UP ARROW to read the current line.
Laptop users press CAPS LOCK+U to read the prior line, CAPS LOCK+O to read the next line, and CAPS LOCK+I to read the current line.
To read an entire document from wherever the cursor is located with one keystroke, press INSERT+DOWN ARROW. This keystroke is called the Say All command, and it is used quite frequently with JAWS. While using the Say All command, you can also do the following:
To halt speech, press the CTRL key.
Laptop users can also use INSERT+DOWN ARROW, but the laptop keystrokes to use without moving your hands from the keyboard are CAPS LOCK+A or CAPS LOCK+DOWN ARROW.
To read the prior sentence, press ALT+UP ARROW. To read the next sentence press ALT+DOWN ARROW. To read the current sentence, press ALT+NUM PAD 5.
Laptop users press CAPS LOCK+Y for the prior sentence, CAPS LOCK+H for the current sentence, and CAPS LOCK+N for the next sentence.
To read the prior paragraph, press CTRL+UP ARROW. To read the next paragraph press CTRL+DOWN ARROW. To read the current paragraph press CTRL+NUM PAD 5.
Laptop users use the same keys except for CAPS LOCK+CTRL+I to read the current paragraph.
There are many other keystrokes used for reading with JAWS, but these are the basic ones. In addition, once you know the basic keystrokes for reading with JAWS, these same keystrokes apply to all the different cursors in JAWS. So whether you are reading with the PC Cursor, the JAWS Cursor, the Virtual Cursor, or the Invisible Cursor, they all use the same reading keystrokes.
Spend a few moments practicing your reading commands in the edit box below. When using JAWS, forms mode comes on automatically upon pressing TAB to move to the edit box. The PC cursor is the active cursor while in the edit area. Press F5 to refresh the text if needed.
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