Abstract: A method and system for automatic formatting of user selected text in a word processing system. A number of format options are displayed to the user and a text format selection is then obtained from the user for a selected format option. An identifier identifying the selected text format is stored in a text format data structure. One or more portions of existing text are thereafter selected by the user. For each selected portion of existing text, the selected portion is formatted with the text format identified by the identifier stored in the data structure. These steps are repeated until canceled by the user or until the user enters new text. In a preferred embodiment, the word processing system provides a conventional mode for performing conventional text formatting in which a text format is specified only after a single portion of existing text is selected by the user to which to apply the specified text format.