diff --git a/editor/actions.js b/editor/actions.js
index 19b9def04399f..2ced37de83456 100644
--- a/editor/actions.js
+++ b/editor/actions.js
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@ export function deselectBlock( uid ) {
 	};
 }
 
+export function multiSelect( start, end ) {
+	return {
+		type: 'MULTI_SELECT',
+		start,
+		end,
+	};
+}
+
 export function clearSelectedBlock() {
 	return {
 		type: 'CLEAR_SELECTED_BLOCK',
diff --git a/editor/modes/visual-editor/block-list.js b/editor/modes/visual-editor/block-list.js
index b38f186b1e1d2..e4ec7bb2f6f97 100644
--- a/editor/modes/visual-editor/block-list.js
+++ b/editor/modes/visual-editor/block-list.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import {
 	getMultiSelectedBlocks,
 	getMultiSelectedBlockUids,
 } from '../../selectors';
-import { insertBlock } from '../../actions';
+import { insertBlock, multiSelect } from '../../actions';
 
 const INSERTION_POINT_PLACEHOLDER = '[[insertion-point]]';
 
@@ -136,11 +136,11 @@ class VisualEditorBlockList extends wp.element.Component {
 		}
 
 		if ( isAtStart && selectionStart ) {
-			onMultiSelect( { start: null, end: null } );
+			onMultiSelect( null, null );
 		}
 
 		if ( ! isAtStart && selectionEnd !== uid ) {
-			onMultiSelect( { start: selectionAtStart, end: uid } );
+			onMultiSelect( selectionAtStart, uid );
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -220,8 +220,8 @@ export default connect(
 		onInsertBlock( block ) {
 			dispatch( insertBlock( block ) );
 		},
-		onMultiSelect( { start, end } ) {
-			dispatch( { type: 'MULTI_SELECT', start, end } );
+		onMultiSelect( start, end ) {
+			dispatch( multiSelect( start, end ) );
 		},
 		onRemove( uids ) {
 			dispatch( { type: 'REMOVE_BLOCKS', uids } );
diff --git a/editor/modes/visual-editor/index.js b/editor/modes/visual-editor/index.js
index e6374591a9dd7..3ec6b502b45d7 100644
--- a/editor/modes/visual-editor/index.js
+++ b/editor/modes/visual-editor/index.js
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
  * External dependencies
  */
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
+import { first, last } from 'lodash';
 
 /**
  * WordPress dependencies
  */
 import { __ } from 'i18n';
 import { Component, findDOMNode } from 'element';
+import { CHAR_A } from 'utils/keycodes';
 
 /**
  * Internal dependencies
@@ -16,7 +18,9 @@ import './style.scss';
 import Inserter from '../../inserter';
 import VisualEditorBlockList from './block-list';
 import PostTitle from '../../post-title';
-import { clearSelectedBlock } from '../../actions';
+import { getBlockUids } from '../../selectors';
+import { clearSelectedBlock, multiSelect } from '../../actions';
+import { isEditableElement } from '../../utils/dom';
 
 class VisualEditor extends Component {
 	constructor() {
@@ -24,6 +28,15 @@ class VisualEditor extends Component {
 		this.bindContainer = this.bindContainer.bind( this );
 		this.bindBlocksContainer = this.bindBlocksContainer.bind( this );
 		this.onClick = this.onClick.bind( this );
+		this.onKeyDown = this.onKeyDown.bind( this );
+	}
+
+	componentDidMount() {
+		document.addEventListener( 'keydown', this.onKeyDown );
+	}
+
+	componentWillUnmount() {
+		document.removeEventListener( 'keydown', this.onKeyDown );
 	}
 
 	bindContainer( ref ) {
@@ -40,6 +53,18 @@ class VisualEditor extends Component {
 		}
 	}
 
+	onKeyDown( event ) {
+		const { uids } = this.props;
+		if (
+			! isEditableElement( document.activeElement ) &&
+			( event.ctrlKey || event.metaKey ) &&
+			event.keyCode === CHAR_A
+		) {
+			event.preventDefault();
+			this.props.multiSelect( first( uids ), last( uids ) );
+		}
+	}
+
 	render() {
 		// Disable reason: Clicking the canvas should clear the selection
 		/* eslint-disable jsx-a11y/no-static-element-interactions, jsx-a11y/onclick-has-role, jsx-a11y/click-events-have-key-events */
@@ -50,6 +75,7 @@ class VisualEditor extends Component {
 				className="editor-visual-editor"
 				onMouseDown={ this.onClick }
 				onTouchStart={ this.onClick }
+				onKeyDown={ this.onKeyDown }
 				ref={ this.bindContainer }
 			>
 				<PostTitle />
@@ -62,6 +88,13 @@ class VisualEditor extends Component {
 }
 
 export default connect(
-	undefined,
-	{ clearSelectedBlock }
+	( state ) => {
+		return {
+			uids: getBlockUids( state ),
+		};
+	},
+	{
+		clearSelectedBlock,
+		multiSelect,
+	}
 )( VisualEditor );
diff --git a/editor/utils/dom.js b/editor/utils/dom.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..ec3feb0f17ba7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/editor/utils/dom.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+
+/**
+ * Utility function to check whether the domElement provided is editable or not
+ * An editable element means we can type in it to edit its content
+ * This includes inputs and contenteditables
+ *
+ * @param  {DomElement} domElement  DOM Element
+ * @return {Boolean}                Whether the DOM Element is editable or not
+ */
+export function isEditableElement( domElement ) {
+	return [ 'textarea', 'input', 'select' ].indexOf( domElement.tagName.toLowerCase() ) !== -1
+		|| !! domElement.isContentEditable;
+}
diff --git a/editor/utils/test/dom.js b/editor/utils/test/dom.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..0b88a9d85e155
--- /dev/null
+++ b/editor/utils/test/dom.js
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/**
+ * External dependencies
+ */
+import { expect } from 'chai';
+
+/**
+ * Internal dependencies
+ */
+import { isEditableElement } from '../dom';
+
+describe.only( 'isEditableElement', () => {
+	it( 'should return false for non editable nodes', () => {
+		const div = document.createElement( 'div' );
+
+		expect( isEditableElement( div ) ).to.be.false();
+	} );
+
+	it( 'should return true for inputs', () => {
+		const input = document.createElement( 'input' );
+
+		expect( isEditableElement( input ) ).to.be.true();
+	} );
+
+	it( 'should return true for textareas', () => {
+		const textarea = document.createElement( 'textarea' );
+
+		expect( isEditableElement( textarea ) ).to.be.true();
+	} );
+
+	it( 'should return true for selects', () => {
+		const select = document.createElement( 'select' );
+
+		expect( isEditableElement( select ) ).to.be.true();
+	} );
+} );
diff --git a/utils/keycodes.js b/utils/keycodes.js
index f7f3b6cfe2db8..3363e4f1ade46 100644
--- a/utils/keycodes.js
+++ b/utils/keycodes.js
@@ -7,3 +7,4 @@ export const UP = 38;
 export const RIGHT = 39;
 export const DOWN = 40;
 export const DELETE = 46;
+export const CHAR_A = 'A'.charCodeAt( 0 );