A method comprising: receiving a first digital ink stroke on a digital ink-enabled surface of a computing device; determining whether the received first digital ink stroke is a closed shape; and performing the following, when the received first digital ink stroke is a closed shape: detecting one or more further digital ink strokes within the received closed shape digital ink stroke; entering a semi-selection mode in response to the one or more further digital ink strokes detected in the received closed shape digital ink stroke, wherein a computing device displaying the received closed shape digital ink stroke is configured to respond to the closed shape digital ink stroke that surrounds the one or more enclosed digital ink strokes, wherein the response provided by the computing device is dependent on subsequent user action, wherein, when the subsequent action is directed to the one or more enclosed digital ink strokes, the closed shape digital ink stroke is processed by the computing device as selection of the further digital ink strokes, wherein, when the subsequent action is directed to a display area other than the area displaying the one or more enclosed digital ink strokes, the closed shape digital ink stroke is processed by the computing device as written digital ink; and, in case of the selection of the detected one or more enclosed digital ink strokes based on the subsequent user action on the computing device, when one or more tap gestures on another digital ink stroke that is not selected occur, extend the closed shape to include both the previous selection and the sentence, shape, or word containing the other digital ink stroke that is not part of the existing digital ink stroke selections. receiving a first digital ink stroke on a digital ink-enabled surface of a computing device; determining whether the received first digital ink stroke is a closed shape; and performing the following, when the received first digital ink stroke is a closed shape: detecting one or more further digital ink strokes within the received closed shape digital ink stroke; entering a semi-selection mode in response to the one or more further digital ink strokes detected in the received closed shape digital ink stroke, wherein a computing device displaying the received closed shape digital ink stroke is configured to respond to the closed shape digital ink stroke that surrounds the one or more enclosed digital ink strokes, wherein the response provided by the computing device is dependent on subsequent user action, wherein, when the subsequent action is directed to the one or more enclosed digital ink strokes, the closed shape digital ink stroke is processed by the computing device as selection of the further digital ink strokes, wherein, when the subsequent action is directed to a display area other than the area displaying the one or more enclosed digital ink strokes, the closed shape digital ink stroke is processed by the computing device as written digital ink; and, in case of the selection of the detected one or more enclosed digital ink strokes based on the subsequent user action on the computing device, when one or more tap gestures on another digital ink stroke that is not selected occur, extend the closed shape to include both the previous selection and the sentence, shape, or word containing the other digital ink stroke that is not part of the existing digital ink stroke selections. detecting one or more further digital ink strokes within the received closed shape digital ink stroke; entering a semi-selection mode in response to the one or more further digital ink strokes detected in the received closed shape digital ink stroke, wherein a computing device displaying the received closed shape digital ink stroke is configured to respond to the closed shape digital ink stroke that surrounds the one or more enclosed digital ink strokes, wherein the response provided by the computing device is dependent on subsequent user action, wherein, when the subsequent action is directed to the one or more enclosed digital ink strokes, the closed shape digital ink stroke is processed by the computing device as selection of the further digital ink strokes, wherein, when the subsequent action is directed to a display area other than the area displaying the one or more enclosed digital ink strokes, the closed shape digital ink stroke is processed by the computing device as written digital ink; and, in case of the selection of the detected one or more enclosed digital ink strokes based on the subsequent user action on the computing device, when one or more tap gestures on another digital ink stroke that is not selected occur, extend the closed shape to include both the previous selection and the sentence, shape, or word containing the other digital ink stroke that is not part of the existing digital ink stroke selections.