Selecting a paragraph for formatting is different from selecting a word. Indents can be used to set off quotations from surrounding text (left and right indents), format body paragraphs in a business letter or school report (first line indents), and create bulleted or numbered lists (hanging indents).īefore setting an indent, you must first select the paragraph(s).

When you're typing and press to end a paragraph, the next paragraph automatically takes on the alignment of the paragraph you just completed.Īn indent is space between a paragraph and the left or right margin.

The spacing between words is automatically adjusted as needed to maintain the flush margins. You'll often see this in newspapers and magazines.

Justified paragraphs are aligned flush with both the left and right margins.Right-aligned paragraphs are flush with the right margin and ragged on the left.Center alignment is sometimes used for titles and section heads. Center-aligned paragraphs are horizontally centered between the left and right margins and are ragged on both sides.Text in a left-aligned paragraph is flush with the left margin and ragged on the right margin. Left is the most common alignment setting and is the default.Setting paragraph alignmentĮach paragraph in a document can be aligned left, center, right, or justified ( Figure 4.6), as explained below: You can also create bulleted or numbered lists, and add borders or shading. Common paragraph formatting that you can apply includes alignment, indents, tab stops, and line spacing.

That is, rather than affecting individual words or sentences, it affects the entire paragraph. Microsoft Office 2008 for Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide

What is a first line indent in word