Abstract: A system and a method for performing an action with respect to an item selected by a user on a display screen of an electronic device. In a preferred embodiment, the display screen is a touchscreen and the user selects an item, e.g., a portion of text or a file by touching a thumb or finger down on the item. The user pauses very briefly before dragging the item. After the pause, a small icon representing the selected item appears and a first row of options appears just above or below the item. This first row of options contains the various functions that can be performed with the item. The user then drags the item to the option which she would like to perform. As the icon of the item being dragged by the user reaches the desired option, a second set of sub options, if any, associated with the first option appears. This process can be repeated for as many levels of sub options that exist for the particular action to be performed on the selected item.