Paragraph Alignment

Text can be aligned left or right, centered, or justified.

To align text, select the paragraph or place the insertion point anywhere in it and click on the button corresponding to the alignment type. You can align text quickly by choosing a command from the keyboard or the toolbar.

The table below shows a list of the buttons on the Paragraph tab and corresponding shortcut keys you may use to perform different alignment operations.

TO ALIGN	CLICK THIS BUTTON	or PRESS THESE KEYS
Left		Ctrl + L
Centered		Ctrl + E
Right		Ctrl + R
Justified		Ctrl + J

Align Text Left

Word is preset to align text flush left with the left margin. As such, text is aligned at the left indent, leaving a ragged or uneven right edge. This is called “left justified.” Regardless of where the left margin is, when the text lines up at  the left margin, it is left justified.

Examples:

Successful business writers understand the meanings behind the concept words well enough to be able to use simple words to define them or use simple words in place of them.

Successful business writers understand the meanings behind the concept words well enough to be able to use simple words to define them or use simple words in place of them.

Centered Alignment

Centered alignment centers a paragraph horizontally between indents, leaving the left and right edges ragged, meaning the text goes in and out. However, it is an ideal alignment style for article headings, as well as for typing the stanzas of poems on a page.

Example:

When you choose the align text right command, the selected paragraph lines up at the right margin so the paragraph is ragged at the left edge. This is also called “right justified.”

Example:

Fully justified alignment aligns a paragraph at both the left and right indents so both the left and right edges are even. Publishers use full justification in newspapers and most books. When a paragraph is justified, Word evens out the lines at the left and right edges, forcing lines to start at the left edge and end at the right edge, hyphenating and adjusting character spacing where necessary. Word does not justify the last line of a paragraph or a short, one-line paragraph. Full justification is not recommended for business documents. It leaves large spaces between words, is more difficult to read, looks like a form letter, and does absolutely nothing for readers.

Example:

Steps to Align Text Using the Paragraph Dialog Box

1. Select the paragraphs or position the insertion point in the paragraph you want to align.
2. On the Home tab, click the arrow in the lower left corner of the Paragraph section, called the “launcher.” You will see the Paragraph dialog box (see below).
3. Click the Indents and Spacing tab.
4. In the Alignment area, click the down arrow to see the options, and select the type of alignment you want.
5. Click OK.