Document Editing Problems

How to Use Word Wildcards to Select Text Between Paragraphs

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to locate and delete all content spanning between two specific paragraphs (e.g., starting with 'Timetable' and ending with 'Main Assessment') across multiple large plain-text documents.

Product: Word Processor
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Bulk deleting specific sections of text across large plain-text documents using Find and Replace.
Observed behavior: Standard wildcard searches successfully locate the starting paragraphs but fail to capture the required ending range and the intervening paragraphs.

Before you start

Since wildcard replacements can significantly alter large plain-text documents, always test your search pattern on a copy of your file before applying bulk changes.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Advanced Wildcard Search and Replace

Apply a specific wildcard pattern in the Find and Replace dialog that accounts for paragraph marks to capture the start text, the intervening content, and the end text.

To select text spanning across multiple paragraphs, your wildcard pattern must account for paragraph marks. A standard wildcard pattern using just the asterisk (*) may stop prematurely or grab too much text if not formatted correctly. Using the paragraph mark code (^13) helps force the search to look across line breaks.

Open Find and Replace

Press Ctrl + H on your keyboard to open the Find and Replace dialog box in your word processor.

Enable Wildcards

Click the 'More' button to expand the advanced search options, then check the box labeled 'Use wildcards'.

Enter the Search Pattern

In the 'Find what' box, type a pattern similar to: Timetable*^13*Main Assessment. The asterisk (*) matches any character, and ^13 ensures the search spans across standard paragraph breaks.

Replace or Delete

Leave the 'Replace with' box empty if you want to delete the matched content. Click 'Find Next' to test the selection, then click 'Replace All' once you verify it captures the correct range.

Wildcard Greedy Matching: Wildcards are 'greedy', meaning they will match up to the last occurrence of your ending phrase in the entire document. Review the highlighted text carefully before clicking Replace All to avoid deleting too much content.

Efficient Document Editing

Use WPS Writer to Perform Advanced Wildcard Searches

WPS Writer offers powerful Find and Replace capabilities with full support for wildcards. You can easily select, replace, or delete complex text patterns across multiple large documents with precision.

1. Open the Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your plain-text or Word document in WPS Writer.
2. Access Find and Replace: Go to the Home tab and click on the 'Find and Replace' icon, or simply press Ctrl + H.
3. Activate Wildcards: Click the 'Options' button in the dialog box and check the 'Use wildcards' option.
4. Execute the Search: Input your specific wildcard pattern in the Find field, leave the Replace field empty to delete the text, and click 'Replace All'.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word document formats (.docx, .doc, .txt).Supports advanced wildcard searches for complex text replacement.Lightweight architecture handles large plain-text documents smoothly without lagging.Free to use with a highly intuitive, tabbed user interface.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my wildcard search stop at the end of the first paragraph?

By default, standard wildcard searches may not cross paragraph boundaries. You often need to include the paragraph mark code (^13) within your wildcard string to force the search engine to span across multiple paragraphs.

What is the wildcard character for a paragraph mark?

In Microsoft Word and WPS Writer, the code ^13 is used to represent a paragraph mark (carriage return) within a wildcard search. Note that the standard ^p code does not work when the 'Use wildcards' option is checked.

How do I prevent the wildcard search from matching too much text?

Because the asterisk (*) wildcard searches for the longest possible match, it might grab text past your intended endpoint if the ending phrase appears multiple times. To limit it, try searching for more specific intermediate text, or process the document in smaller sections.

Can I use wildcards to format text instead of deleting it?

Yes. In the Find and Replace dialog, enter your wildcard pattern in the 'Find what' box. Then, click into the 'Replace with' box, click 'Format' at the bottom of the dialog, and select your desired styles, fonts, or colors before clicking 'Replace All'.

Document & File Issues