How to SMS Text

1. Find the messaging function on your phone. Make sure your cell phone's keypad is unlocked so that you are able to press buttons, or select buttons on the screen if you have a touch phone. Look on the menu for the section with the title 'Messages'; it may have an envelope icon. Select the 'Messages' option so that it takes you through to more messaging options.
2. Create a message. You should be able to see a number of messaging options listed. Select the option that allows you to create a new message. This might have the title of 'Create Message' or 'New Message.'
3. Start writing. When you have selected the new message option, you will see a blank screen. This is a blank SMS message. How you will write your text message depends on what type of phone you have. If you have a touch screen, a small keyboard will appear on the screen. Simply touch each letter on the screen to form the words of your text message. You will will also see a space bar at the bottom and buttons for punctuation, just like on the keyboard of a computer. Type your text message as you would type onto a keyboard.
4. Use buttons to write an SMS message. If your phone has buttons rather than a touch screen, you will need to press the corresponding sequence of buttons you need to create the words of your text message. There are 12 buttons on the keypad of a standard cell phone, running from '1' through '9,' with '0,' '#' and '*' keys. You will see that buttons '2' through to '9' have letters written on them as well. Typically, button '2' has 'ABC' written on it, '3' has 'DEF,' '4' has 'GHI,' '5' has 'JKL,' '6' has 'MNO,' '7' has 'PQRS,' '8' has 'TUV' and '9' has 'WXYZ.' You need to press each button a certain number of times, depending on the letter's position in relation to the other letters on the key. For example, to write the letter 'B,' press the '2' key twice because 'B' appears second in the sequence of letters. To write the word 'hello,' press the '4' key twice, the '3' key twice, the '5' key three times, the '5' key three times again and finally the '6' key three times.
5. Use punctuation. You will also need to find the keys on your phone that allow you to punctuate your SMS messages. On many phones, you will find this on the spare buttons of the phone that don't have letters written on them; i.e., keys '1,' '0,' '*' and '#.' You will be able to scroll through many options for punctuation, including question marks, currency symbols and exclamation marks.
6. Send the message. Once you have completed writing the text message, you are ready to send it. You should see that a send option has appeared on the bottom of your phone's screen. Alternatively, press the 'menu' button on your phone, which will bring up an option for you to send the message. When you select the 'send' option, your phone will bring up a space for you to type a phone number into, or the option to browse your address book. Either manually type in the phone number, or browse your phone book to find the person to whom you want to send the message. Select the correct person, then press the 'send' option. Your phone will indicate with a message on the screen that it is sending the message.