Expanding the selection set using the mouse
You can automatically add to a selection set by clicking the mouse button (while in the Select tool) multiple times in rapid succession. Click once on an entity to select that entity. Click rapidly twice (double-click) on an entity, namely an edge or face, to select corresponding faces or edges respectively. Click three times (triple-click) on an entity, namely an edge or face, to select the edge or face and all entities physically connected to that edge or face. The following image shows this click/selection sequence.
Tip: Use a context-click to invoke the context menu for an entity. Many context menus have a Select submenu allowing you to expand a selection using one of the following commands: Bounding Edges, Connected Faces, All Connected, All on same layer, and All with same material.